DEC  11  1911 


BL  240 

.S44  1910 

Seiss, 

Joseph 

Augustus, 

182. 

-1904 

The  gospel  in 

the 

stars 

l¥" 


vv 


THE  Y&V,   '"— •***»"- 


EC11] 

_SE 

Gospel  in  the  Stars; 


OR, 


gnnubal  gstronomg. 


BY 

JOSEPH    A.  SEISS,  D.D.,  LL.D 

FIFTH     EDITION. 


#...  ra  ndvza  xae  iv  naatu  Xptardc. 


CHARLES    C.  COOK, 

150  Nassau  Street, 

new  york,  n.  y. 

1910. 


Copyright,  1884, 
3y  JOSEPH    A.  SEIS& 


Westcott  &  Thomson, 

SJtrtotypers  and  Electrotype*  i 


PREFACE. 

It  may  seem  adventurous  to  propose  to  read  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  from  what  Herschel  calls  "  those 
uncouth  figures  and  outlines  of  men  and  monsters 
usually  scribbled  over  celestial  globes  and  maps." 
So  it  once  would  have  seemed  to  the  writer.  But 
a  just  estimate  of  the  case  cannot  be  formed  without 
a  close  survey  of  what  these  figures  are,  what  rela- 
tions they  bear  to  each  other,  whence  they  originated, 
and  what  meaning  was  attached  to  them  by  the  most 
ancient  peoples  from  whom  they  have  been  trans- 
mitted to  us.  Such  a  survey  the  author  of  this  vol- 
ume has  endeavored  to  make.  From  an  extended 
induction  he  has  also  reached  conclusions  which 
lead  him  to  think  he  may  do  good  service  by  giving 
publicity  to  the  results  of  his  examinations. 

The  current  explanations  of  the  origin  and  mean 
ing  of  the  constellations  certainly  are  not  such  as 
should  satisfy  those  in  search  of  positive  truth. 
Herschel  characterizes  them  as  "  puerile  and  absurd." 
They  are  nowhere  to  be  found  outside  of  Greece  and 
Rome  and  modern  works  which  have  thence  derived 
them.  They  are  part  of  the  staple  in  the  theories 
and  arguments  of  infidelity.     The  more  ancient  and 

3 


6  PREFACE. 

explanations  to  do  away  with  the  intended  conclu- 
sion as  a  11011  sequitur.  The  argument  of  these  in- 
fidels is  indeed  fatally  defective,  especially  in  assum- 
ing that  the  old  astronomy  throughout,  and  all  the 
myths  and  worships  associated  with  it,  have  come 
solely  from  the  natural  observation  and  imagination 
of  man,  apart  from  all  supernatural  light,  revelation, 
or  inspiration.  With  this  starting-point  unproven 
and  incapable  of  verification,  and  with  the  positive 
assertions  of  all  the  primeval  world  and  all  the  indi- 
cations directly  to  the  contrary,  the  whole  argument 
necessarily  breaks  down.  Like  all  the  efforts  of 
unbelief,  it  signally  fails.  But  though  the  argu- 
ment, as  such,  is  false  and  worthless,  it  does  not  fol- 
low that  the  materials  collected  to  build  it  are  the 
same.  For  the  most  part,  they  are  solid  enough  in 
themselves,  and  the  gathering  of  them  was  a  valu- 
able contribution  to  a  better  cause.  The  showings 
made  of  the  close  likeness  between  the  old  constel- 
lations and  the  Gospel  are  well  founded,  and  can 
now  be  illustrated  to  a  much  greater  and  more  mi- 
nute extent.  But,  instead  of  proving  Christianity  a 
mere  revival  of  old  mythologies,  they  give  powerful 
impulse  toward  the  conclusion  that  the  constellations 
and  their  associated  myths  and  traditions  are  them- 
selves, in  their  original,  from  the  very  same  pro- 
phetic Spirit  whence  the  Sacred  Scriptures  have 
come,  and  that  they  are  of  a  piece  with  the  bib- 
lical records  in  the  system  of  God's  universal  enun- 
ciations of  the  Christ. 

Gale,  in  his  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  Faber,  On  Pagan 


PREFACE.  7 

Idolatry,  Roberts,  in  his  Letters  to  Volney,  Haslam,  on 
The  Cross  and  the  Serpent,  and  the  author  of  Pri- 
meval Man  Unveiled,  have  slightly  touched  upon  the 
subject,  and  furnish  some  materials  in  the  direction 
of  the  same  conclusions. 

Sir  William  Drummond,  in  his  Origines,  C.  Piazzi 
Smyth,  in  his  Life  and  Work,  and  J.  T.  Goodsir,  On 
Ethnic  Inspiration,  also  present  some  important  facts 
and  considerations  relating  to  the  general  inquiry. 

A  more  valuable  aid  to  the  study  of  the  subject 
as  treated  in  this  volume  is  Frances  Rolleston's 
Mazzarotli ;  or,  The  Constellations — a  book  from  an 
authoress  of  great  linguistic  and  general  literary  at- 
tainments, whom  Providence  rarely  favored  for  the 
collection  of  important  facts  and  materials,  partic- 
ularly as  respects  the  ancient  stellar  nomenclature. 
The  tables  drawn  up  by  Ulugh  Beigh,  the  Tartar 
prince  and  astronomer,  about  a.  d.  1420,  giving  Ara- 
bian astronomy  as  it  had  come  down  to  his  time, 
with  the  ancient  Coptic  and  Egyptian  names,  like- 
wise the  much  earlier  presentations,  made  about  a.  d. 
850  by  Albumazer,  the  great  Arab  astronomer  of 
the  Caliphs  of  Grenada,  and  Aben  Ezra's  commen- 
taries on  the  same,  are,  to  a  considerable  extent,  re- 
produced in  her  book.  Fac-similes  of  the  Dendera 
and  Esne  Zodiacs  are  also  given  in  the  last  edition 
(1875)  of  her  work.  And  from  her  tables  and  refer- 
ences the  writer  of  these  Lectures  was  helped  to 
some  of  his  best  information,  without  which  this 
book  could  hardly  have  become  what  it  is. 

If  any  others  have  treated  directly,  or  even  inci- 


8  PREFACE. 

dentally,  of  what  is  sought  to  be  shown  in  this  vol- 
ume, its  author  has  not  discovered  their  records  or 
their  names. 

With  but  little,  therefore,  but  the  star-maps  and 
descriptions  as  given  by  astronomers,  and  such  no- 
tices of  the  constellations  as  are  to  be  found  in  the 
remains  of  antiquity  and  general  literature,  he  had 
to  make  his  way  as  best  he  could.  With  what  suc- 
cess he  has  done  his  work,  and  in  how  far  his  con- 
clusions are  entitled  to  credit  or  respect,  he  now 
submits  to  the  decision  of  a  candid  and  intelligent 
public. 

Festival  of  the  Epiphany,  \ 
Philadelphia,  1882.    ) 


Table  of  Contents. 


Uecture  dfitzt. 

The  Starry  Worlds 15— 38 

The  Sun — Vastness  of  the  Universe — Objects  of  these  Creations — 
The  Stars  as  Signs — Record  the  Promises  of  Redemption — ■ 
The  Glory  of  God — The  Gospel  Story — How  the  Stars  are  made 
to  Speak — Star-groups — Figures  of  the  Star-groups. 

^Lecture  Serontf. 

The  Sacred  Constellations . .  •      39~^5 

The  Constellations— The  Zodiac— The  Twelve  Signs— Mansions 
of  the  Moon — The  Decans  of  the  Twelve  Signs  of  the  Zodiac 
— The  Planets — The  Constellations  Divine — Age  of  the  Con- 
stellations— The  Sabbatic  Week  and  the  Stars — The  Alphabet 
and  the  Stars. 

ilecture  3If)trtJ. 

The  Desire  of  Nations 66-89 

The  Ethnic  Myths  of  a  Coming  Saviour — Infidel  Argument — The 
Sacred  Intention  of  the  Signs  traceable — A  Covered  Picture — 
The  Sign  of  Virgo — The  Virgin's  Son — Coma — The  Desire  of 
Nations — The  Double  Nature — Bootes — The  Great  Shepherd- 
Summary  on  Virgo. 

Uecture  dfourtf). 

The  Suffering  Redeemer 90-113 

The  Sign  of  Libra — Commercial  Idea  in  Christianity — The  South- 
ern Cross — The  Cross  as  a  Sign — The  Victim  Slain — A  Turn  in 
the  History — The  Northern  Crown — A  Sneer  Answered. 


IO  TABLE    OF  CONTENTS. 

Hecture  dFtftf). 

PAGES 

The  Toiling  Deliverer 1 14-137 

The  Ancient  Mysteries — The  Sign  of  Scorpio — The  Suffering 
Saviour — The  Serpent — Ophiuchus — ^Esculapius — The  Great 
Physician — Hercules  and  his  Twelve  Labors — A  Picture  of 
Christ 

Uecture  ictxti). 

The  Triumphant  Warrior 138-161 

The  Sign  of  Sagittarius — Cheiron — The  Hero-Prophet  of  Double 
Nature — The  Harp — The  Lyre  of  Orpheus — The  Universal  Joy 
— Ara,  the  Burning  Pyre — The  Under-world — The  Dragon — 
Origin  of  the  Symbol  of  the  Dragon — Slayers  of  the  Dragon. 

Hecture  gebentf). 

Death  and  New  Life 162-188 

Order  of  the  Signs —  The  Sign  of  Capricornus — Type  and  Antitype 
— The  Church — The  Mystical  Union — The  Myths — Spiritual 
Conceptions — The  Arrow — The  Pierced  Eagle — The  Dolphin 
— Death  and  Resurrection — Salvation  through  Atonement — 
The  Faith  of  the  Patriarchs. 

Hecture  IStgfjtf). 

The  Living  Waters 189-210 

Water — The  Sign  of  Aquarius — Promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit — 
The  Waters  of  Life — The  Southern  Fish — Pegasus — The  Good 
News — The  Pierian  Springs — The  Swan — Lord  of  the  Waters — 
The  Carried  Cross — A  Beautiful  Picture — The  Fountain  Flows. 

Hectute  Ntntf). 

The  Mystic  Fishes 21 1-232 

Apostolic  Fishing — The  Sign  of  Pisces — The  Myths — Twofoldness 
of  the  Church— The  Band  of  the  Fishes— Cepheus— The  Church's 
King — Andromeda — The  Church  in  this  World — Andromeda's 
Chains — Ill-favor  of  the  Church — Church  not  from  the  Signs. 


TABLE    OF  CONTENTS.  II 

ILccture  Cent!). 

PAGES 

The   Blessed   Outcome 233-257 

The  Lamb  in  Heaven—  The  Sign  of  Aries— The  Mythic  Stories 
—Cassiopeia— The  Church  Delivered— Cetus— Satan  Bound- 
Perseus — The  Myths — Perseus  and  Christ— Medusa's  Head— 
The  Church's  Hope— Union  with  the  Church. 

Hecture  lElebentf)* 

The  Day  of  the  Lord 258-284 

A  Psalm  of  Redemption— The  Unicorn,  or  Reem— The  Judgment 
—  The  Sign  of  Taurus — The  Myths — The  Sacred  Prophecies — 
Orion — The  Glorious  Prince — Myths  on  Orion — Eridanus — The 
River  of  Fire — Mercy  in  Judgment — Auriga — The  Great  Shep- 
herd— A  Solemn  Outlook. 

Hecture  Ctoelfti). 

The  Heavenly  Union 285-310 

The  Sign  of  Gemini — Mythic  Accounts — The  Star-names — 
Christ's  Union  with  His  Church — The  Marriage  of  the  Lamb 
— Lepus,  the  Mad  Enemy — Sirius,  or  the  Nazseirene — The 
Sublime  Prince — The  Companion  of  Sirius — The  Myths — 
Summary  on   Gemini. 

Eectute  flTfjttteentf). 

The  Blessed  Possession 31 1-335 

The  Oath  of  God—  The  Sign  of  Cancer— The  Crab— The  Scara- 
basus — Praesepe — The  Heavenly  Rest — The  Myths — The  Names 
—Ursa  Minor— The  Lesser  Sheepfold— The  Pole-Star—  Ursa  Ma- 
jor— The  Greater  Sheepfold — Argo — The  Names — The  Treasure 
Secured — A  Sweet  Consolation. 

Uecture  jFnurteentf). 

The  Consummated  Victory 336-360 

The  Lion — Christ  as  the  Lion — The  Lion-work — The  Sign  of 
Leo — Hydra — The  Serpent  Deceiver — Myths  and  Names — Cra- 
ter, or  the  Cup  of  Wrath — Corvus,  or  the  Raven — Career  and 
Fate  of  the  Serpent— The  End. 


PAGES 


12  TABLE    OF  CONTENTS. 

lecture  jFtfteentf). 

The  Secrets  of  Wisdom 361 

Things  More  than  they  Seem- The  Ground  thus  Far— The  Lunar 
Zodiac — Names  of  the  Lunar  Mansions— Record  the  Story  of 
Redemption — The  Milky  Way — Signs  in  and  on  this  Way — 
Names  of  the  Primeval  Patriarchs— The  Names,  Standards,  and 
Jewel-representatives  of  the  Twelve  Tribes  of  Israel — The  Jewel- 
foundations  of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

Uecture  Sixteenth 

Primeval  Man 387-423 

Age  of  Astronomy— Dates  back  to  Adam's  Time — The  Facts 

The  Traditions — The  Bible  Representations — Reasonableness 
of  the  Case— Claimed  to  be  Originally  from  God — The  Star- 
Record  itself— Contents  of  its  Three  Books— Inevitable  Infer- 
ences— The  First  Man  not  a  Gorilla — Revelation  a  Fact. 

ILecture  Seventeenth 

The  Star  of  Bethlehem 424-452 

Visit  of  the  Magi — Diverse  Opinions  about  the  Star — Astronomic 
Facts — A  Primitive  Tradition — A  New  Star  in  Coma— Con- 
junctions of  Jupiter  and  Saturn— The  Sign  of  the  Fishes— The 
Following  of  the  Star — Junction  of  Prophecy  and  Astronomy — 
Who  the  Magi  were— Sum  of  the  Whole — Conclusion. 

Supplement. 

{New  Matter.) 
Notices  of  this  Book — Criticisms — No  Champion  for  the  Current 
Theories — The  Southern  Cross — Is  one  of  the  Ancient  Signs — 
Dr.  Seyffarth— Origin  of  Language  and  Writing — Science  and 
the  Constellations — The  Bible  and  the  Constellations — The 
Book  of  Job — The  Hebrew  Prophets — The  New  Testament — 
The  Star  Bible 453 

Index,  and  Glossary  of  the  Star-names 511 


The  profoundest  riddles  of  the  world  have  often  remained  con- 
cealed, not  because  of  their  great  intricacy,  but  because  of  their 
exceeding  simplicity. — CzOLBE. 


When  truth  is  found,  it  always  proves  to  be  somewhat  like  the 
egg  of  Columbus. — Schelling. 


It  is  the  pert,  superficial  thinker  who  is  generally  the  strongest 
in  all  kinds  of  unbelief. — Sir  Humphry  Davy. 


"  Why  did  not  somebody  teach  me  the  constellations  and  make 
me  at  home  in  the  starry  heavens,  which  are  always  overhead,  and 
which  I  don't  half  know  to  this  day?" — Thomas  Carlyle. 


'  This  prospect  vast,  what  is  it  ? — Weighed  aright, 
'Tis  Nature's  system  of  divinity; 
'Tis  Elder  Scripture,  writ  by  Go  1's  own  hand  : 
Scripture  authentic  !  uncorrupt  by  man." 

Edward  Young. 


"  The  mvsteries  of  the  Incarnation,  from  the  Conception  on  to  the 
Ascension  i.ito  heaven,  are  shown  us  on  the  face  of  the  sky,  and  are 
signified  oy  the  stars." — Albertus  Magnus. 


14 


THE  GOSPEL  IN  THE  STARS. 


JLecture  jfitst 

THE  STARRY  WORLDS. 

Gen.  i  :  14 :  "  And  God  said,  Let  there  be  lights  in  the  firmament 
of  the  heaven  to  divide  the  day  from  the  night ;  and  let  them  be  for 
signs,  and  for  seasons,  and  for  days,  and  for  years." 

THE  sublimest  visible  objects  of  human 
contemplation  are  the  Starry  Heavens. 
The  beholder  is  awed  at  every  thoughtful 
look  upon  them.  And  when  viewed  in  the 
lieht  of  astronomical  science  the  mind  is  over- 
whelmed  and  lost  amid  the  vastness  and  mag- 
nificence of  worlds  and  systems  which  roll 
and  shine  above,  around  and  beneath  us. 

The  Sun. 
The  most  conspicuous,  to  us,  of  these  won- 
derful orbs  is  the  Sun.     Seemingly,  it  is  not 
as  large  as  the  wheel  of  a  wagon,  but  when 
we  learn  that  we  see  it  only  at  the  distance 

15 


1 6  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

of  more  than  ninety-one  millions  of  miles, 
and  consider  how  the  apparent  size  of  objects 
diminishes  in  proportion  to  their  remoteness, 
we  justly  conclude  that  it  must  be  of  enor- 
mous magnitude  to  be  so  conspicuous  across 
a  gulf  so  vast.  Our  earth  is  a  large  body ; 
it  takes  long  and  toilsome  journeying  for  a 
man  to  make  his  way  around  it.  But  the  Sun 
fills  more  than  a  million  times  the  cubic  space 
filled  by  the  earth.  A  railway-train  running 
thirty  miles  an  hour,  and  never  stopping, 
could  not  go  around  it  in  less  than  eleven 
years,  nor  run  the  distance  from  the  earth  to 
the  Sun  in  less  than  three  hundred  and  sixty 
years.  If  we  were  to  take  a  string  long 
enough  to  reach  the  moon,  and  draw  a  circle 
with  it  at  its  utmost  stretch,  the  Sun  would 
still  be  six  times  larger  than  that  circle.  Be- 
longing  to  the  system  of  which  it  is  the  centre 
there  are  eight  primary  planets,  some  of  them 
more  than  a  thousand  times  larger  than  our 
earth,  besides  eighty-five  asteroids,  twenty- 
one  satellites  or  moons,  and  several  hundred 
comets.  But  the  Sun  itself  is  six  hundred 
times  greater  than  all  these  planets  and  their 
satellites  put  together.  The  greatest  of  them 
might  be  thrown  into  it,  and  would  be  to  it 
no  more  than  a  drop  to  a  bucket,  a  bird-shot 


VASTNESS  OF    THE    UNIVERSE.  1 7 

to  a  cannon-ball,  or  an   infant's  handful  to  a 
bushel  measure. 

The  Vastness  of  the  Universe. 
But,  great  and  glorious  as  the  Sun  is,  and 
seemingly  so  much  greater  than  every  other 
object  in  the  sky,  it  is  really  only  a  tiny  frag- 
ment, a  mere  speck,  in  the  magnificent  starry 
empire  of  which  it  is  a  part.  It  is  less  to  the 
material  universe  at  large  than  a  globule  to 
our  globe.  With  all  its  retinue  of  ponderous 
orbs,  it  is  only  one  of  innumerable  hosts  of 
such  suns  and  systems.  There  are  myriads 
of  stars  in  space  immeasurably  greater  than 
it.  They  look  very  diminutive  in  comparison 
with  it,  but  they  are  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  times  farther  off.  A  ball  shot  from  a  can- 
non and  moving  at  the  rate  of  five  hundred 
miles  an  hour  could  not  reach  the  nearest  of 
them  in  less  than  thirteen  millions  of  years. 
Light  is  the  rapidest  of  known  travellers. 
A  ray  from  the  Sun  reaches  us  in  about  eight 
and  a  quarter  minutes.  But  there  are  some 
stars  in  these  heavens  known  to  be  so  remote 
that  if  a  ray  of  light  had  started  from  them 
direct  for  our  world  when  Adam  drew  his 
first  breath,  it  would  hardly  yet  have  reached 
the  earth.    Sirius  alone  gives  out  nearly  four 

2*  B 


1 8  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

hundred  times  as  much  light  as  the  Sun,  and 
yet  Sirius  is  a  star  of  moderate  size  among 
the  stars.  The  Sun  is  no  more  to  many  other 
stars  than  one  of  our  smaller  planets  is  to  it. 
We  know  that  the  Sun  turns  on  its  axis  as 
the  earth  turns,  and  that  it  is  ever  moving  on 
a  journey  around  some  transcendently  greater 
centre,  just  as  the  earth  and  other  planets 
revolve  around  it  as  their  centre.  It  takes 
the  earth  one  year  to  complete  its  revolution 
around  the  Sun,  but  it  takes  the  Sun  eighteen 
millions  of  our  years  to  make  its  revolution 
around  the  centre  which  it  obeys. 

We  are  amazed  and  overwhelmed  in  the 
contemplation  of  worlds  and  systems  so  vast. 
But  there  is  solid  reason  for  believing  that  all 
these  tremendous  systems,  in  which  uncounted 
suns  take  the  place  of  planets,  are  themselves 
but  satellites  of  still  immeasurably  sublimer 
orbs,  and  thus  on  upward,  through  systems  on 
systems,  to  some  supreme  physical  Omnipo- 
tent, where  the  unsearchable  Jehovah  has 
His  throne,  and  whence  He  gives  forth  His 
invincible  laws  to  the  immensity  of  His  glori- 
ous realm. 

These  are  the  "  lights,"  light-bearers,  or 
luminaries  to  which  the  text  refers,  and  which 
the  potent  creative  Word  has  brought  into 


OBJECTS   OF   THESE    CREATIONS.  1 9 

being  and    placed   in    die    firmament    of    the 
heaven. 

Objects  of  these   Material  Creations. 

Such  wonderful  creations  of  almighty  pow- 
er and  wisdom  were  not  without  a  purpose. 
It  was  the  will  of  the  eternal  God  to  be  known 
— to  have  creatures  to  understand  and  enjoy 
His  glory  —  to  provide  for  them  suitable 
homes — to  acquaint  them  with  His  intelli- 
gence, power,  and  perfections — to  fill  them 
with  a  sense  of  the  existence  and  potent  pres- 
ence of  an  infinite  creative  Mind,  from  which 
all  things  proceed  and  on  which  all  creatures 
depend. 

All  the  purposes  of  creation  we  cannot  be- 
gin to  fathom  or  comprehend.  No  plummet- 
line  of  human  understanding-  can  reach  the 
bottom  of  such  depths.  We  stand  on  solid 
ground,  however,  when  we  say  and  believe 
that  the  intent  of  the  physical  universe  is  to 
declare  and  display  the  majesty  and  glory  of  its 
Creator.  Hence  the  apostolic  assertion  :  "The 
invisible  things  of  Him  from  the  creation  of 
the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood 
by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  His  eternal 
power  and  Godhead."  But  the  particular  ends 
and  objects  included  in  this  grand  purpose 


20        THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

are  as  multitudinous  and  diverse  as  the  things 
themselves.  Among  the  rest,  there  is  one 
specially  expressed  and  emphasized  in  the 
text.  When  God  created  these  heavenly 
worlds  He  said,  "And  let  them  be  for  signs." 

The  Stars  as  Signs. 

A  sign  is  something  arbitrarily  selected  and 
appointed  to  represent  some  other  thing.  The 
letters  of  the  alphabet  are  "signs" — signs  of 
sounds  and  numbers.  The  notes  on  a  clef  of 
musical  writing  are  "signs" — signs  of  the 
pitch  and  value  of  certain  tones  of  voice  or 
instrument.  There  is  no  relation  whatever 
between  these  "  signs"  and  the  things  they 
signify,  except  that  men  have  agreed  to  em- 
ploy them  for  these  purposes.  Their  whole 
meaning  as  "  signs"  is  purely  conventional 
and  arbitrary — something  quite  beyond  and 
above  what  pertains  to  their  nature.  And  so 
with  all  "  signs." 

When  Moses  said  that  the  swarm  of  flies 
should  be  a  "sign"  to  the  Egyptians,  there 
was  nothing  in  the  nature  of  the  thing  to 
show  what  was  thereby  signified.  When  the 
prophet  told  Hezekiah  that  the  going  back 
of  the  shadow  on  the  dial  should  be  a  "  sign  " 
that    he    would    recover    from   his    sickness, 


THE  STARS  AS  SIGNS.  21 

live  yet  fifteen  years,  and  see  Jerusalem 
delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Syrian  in- 
vader, there  was  nothing  in  the  nature  of  the 
thing  to  express  this  gracious  meaning.  Isa- 
iah's walking  barefoot  had  no  natural  connec- 
tion with  the  Syrian  conquest  of  Egypt,  and 
yet  this  was  "  for  a  sign"  of  that  fact.  And 
thus  when  God  said  of  the  celestial  lumina- 
ries, "and  let  them  be  for  signs"  He  meant 
that  they  should  be  used  to  signify  something 
beyond  and  additional  to  what  they  evidence 
and  express  in  their  nature  and  natural  offices. 
Nor  can  any  sense  be  attached  to  the  words, 
consistent  with  the  dignity  of  the  record,  with- 
out admitting  that  God  intended  from  the  be- 
ginning  that  these  orbs  of  light  should  be 
made  to  bear,  express,  record,  and  convey 
some  special  teaching  different  from  what  is 
naturally  deducible  from  them. 

What  the  stars  were  thus  meant  to  signify, 
over  and  above  what  is  evidenced  by  their 
own  nature,  interpreters  have  been  at  a  loss 
to  tell  us.  And  yet  there  should  not  be  such  a 
total  blank  on  the  subject.  Light  has  been  at 
hand  all  the  while.  For  ages  this  whole  field 
has  been  almost  entirely  left  to  a  superstitious 
and  idolatrous  astrology,  which  has  befouled 
a  noble  and  divine  science  and  done  immeas- 


22  THE   GOSPEL    IN  THE   STARS. 

urable  damage  to  the  souls  of  men.  But  we 
here  find  it  claimed  to  be  a  sacred  domain  laid 
out  of  God  in  the  original  intent  of  creation 
itself.  And  when  I  look  at  the  deep  and  al- 
most universal  hold  which  a  spurious  and 
wicked  treatment  of  this  field  has  so  long 
had  upon  mankind,  I  have  been  the  more  led 
to  suspect  the  existence  of  some  original, 
true,  and  sacred  thing  back  of  it,  out  of  which 
all  this  false  science  and  base  superstition  has 
grown,  and  of  which  it  is  the  perversion. 
There  is  no  potent  system  of  credulity  in  the 
world  which  has  not  had  some  great  truth  at 
the  root  of  it.  Evil  is  always  perverted  good, 
as  dirt  is  simply  matter  out  of  place.  It  is 
the  spoliation  of  some  better  thing  going  be- 
fore it.  And  so  there  is  reason  to  think  that 
there  is,  after  all,  some  great,  original,  divine 
science  connected  with  the  stars,  which  as- 
trology has  prostituted  to  its  own  base  ends, 
and  which  it  is  our  duty  to  search  out  and 
turn  to  its  proper  evangelic  use. 

"  As  from  the  oldest  times  the  suns  and 
other  worlds  have  been  arranged  into  groups, 
is  it  not  allowable  to  inquire  whether  there 
was  not  a  unity  of  purpose  and  connected 
meaning  in  them,  though  these  grotesque 
figures  are  represented  as  hieroglyphs  which 


THE   STARS  AS  SIGNS.  23 

we  trace  to  the  Chaldeans  and  Phoenicians  ?" 
is  a  question  which  Ingemann,  the  distinguished 
Danish  author,  puts,  and  who  was  by  far  more 
persuaded  of  their  probable  reference  to  di- 
vine revelations  than  of  their  origin  as  more 
commonly  explained. 

Richer,  a  French  writer,  has  repeatedly  as- 
serted that  the  whole  primitive  revelation  may 
be  traced  in  the  constellations. 

Albumazer  describes  the  various  constella- 
tions as  known  over  all  the  world  from  the 
beginning,  and  says,  "  Many  attributed  to 
them  a  divine  and  prophetic  virtue." 

Cicero,  in  translating  the  account  of  the 
constellations  by  Aratus,  says,  "  The  signs  are 
measured  out,  that  in  so  many  descriptions 
divine  wisdom  might  appear." 

Roberts,  in  his  Letters  to  Volney,  accepts  it 
as  a  truth  that  the  emblems  in  the  stars  refer 
to  the  primeval  promise  of  the  Messiah  and 
His  work  of  conquering  the  Serpent  through 
His  sufferings,  and  traces  out  some  of  the 
particular  instances. 

Dupuis,  in  L  Origine  des  Cultus,  has  col- 
lected a  vast  number  of  traditions  prevalent 
in  all  nations  of  a  divine  person,  born  of  a 
woman,  suffering  in  conflict  with  a  serpent, 
but  triumphing  over  him  at  last,  and  finds  the 


24  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

same  reflected  in  the  figures  of  the  ancient 
constellations. 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  says  of  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians that  they  held  the  stars  to  be  symbols 
of  sacred  things.  Lucian  and  Dupuis  assert 
the  same,  and  say  that  "  astronomy  was  the 
soul  of  the  Egyptian  religious  system."  The 
same  is  equally  true  of  the  Chaldeans  and 
Assyrians. 

Smith  and  Sayce,  in  The  Chaldean  Account 
of  Genesis,  say  :  "  It  is  evident,  from  the  open- 
ing of  the  inscription  on  the  first  tablet  of 
the  great  Chaldean  work  on  astrology  and  as- 
tronomy, that  the  functions  of  the  stars  were, 
according  to  the  Babylonians,  to  act  not  only 
as  regulators  of  the  seasons  of  the  year,  but 
also  used  as  signs ;  for  in  those  ages  it  was 
generally  believed  that  the  heavenly  bodies 
gave,  by  their  appearance  and  positions,  signs 
of  events  which  were  coming  on  the  earth!' 

The  learned  G.  Stanley  Faber  admits  the 
connection  between  the  starry  emblems  and 
the  myths  and  mysteries  of  the  ancients.  He 
thinks  "  the  forms  of  men  and  women,  beasts 
and  birds,  monsters  and  reptiles,  with  which 
the  whole  face  of  heaven  has  been  disguised, 
are  not  without  their  signification"  and  allows 
that  the  reference,  in  parts  at  least,  is  to  the 


THE   STARS  AS  SIGNS.  25 

Seed  of  the  woman,  and  His  bruising  of  the 
Serpent. 

It  is  furthermore  a  matter  of  inspired  New- 
Testament  record  that  certain  wise  men  from 
among  the  Gentile  peoples  not  only  looked 
to  the  stars  as  by  some  means  made  to  refer 
to  and  represent  a  coming  Saviour,  even  the 
Lord  Jesus  himself,  but  were  so  moved  and 
persuaded  by  their  observations  of  the  stars, 
from  what  they  saw  there  signified,  that  they 
set  out  under  the  guidance  of  those  starry 
indications  to  find  Him  whom  they  thus  per- 
ceived to  have  been  born  in  Judea,  in  order 
that  they  might  greet  Him  as  their  Lord  and 
honor  Him  by  their  adoration  and  their  gifts 
(Matt.  2:1-11).  All  that  entered  into  this 
case  we  may  not  now  be  able  to  determine, 
but  the  fact  remains  that  these  wise  men  of 
the  Gentiles  did  actually  come  to  Jerusalem, 
and  thence  to  Bethlehem,  to  find  and  worship 
the  new-born  Saviour,  moved  and  led  by  as- 
tronomic sigits,  which  they  never  could  have 
understood  as  they  did  if  there  had  not  been 
associated  with  the  stars  some  definite  evan- 
gelic prophecies  and  promises  which  they 
could  read,  and  believed  to  be  from  God. 

And  since  these  starry  emblems  are  inva- 
riably connected  with  the  most  striking  and 
3 


26  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

sublime  appearances  in  the  visible  creation, 
seen  in  all  climates,  accompanying  the  out- 
wandering  tribes  of  man  in  all  their  migra- 
tions, why  should  we  not  expect  to  find  among 
the  names  and  figures  annexed  to  them  some 
memorial  of  great  and  universal  importance 
to  the  whole  human  race  ?  Certainly,  if  we 
could  find  connected  with  every  constellation 
and  each  remarkable  star  some  divine  truth, 
some  prophetic  annunciation,  some  important 
revelation  or  fact,  there  would  be  opened  to 
us  a  field  of  grand  contemplations  and  of 
sublime  memorializations  which  we  may  well 
suppose  the  infinite  Mind  of  God  would 
neither  overlook  nor  leave  unutilized. 

For  my  own  part,  having  investigated  the 
subject  with  such  aids  as  have  been  within 
my  reach,  I  am  quite  convinced,  as  much  from 
the  internal  evidences  as  the  external,  that 
the  learned  authoress  of  Mazzaroth  was  cor- 
rect in  saying  that  from  the  latent  significance 
of  the  names  and  emblems  of  the  ancient 
astronomy  "  we  may  learn  the  all-important 
fact  that  God  has  spoken — that  He  gave  to  the 
earliest  of  mankind  a  revelation,  equally  im- 
portant to  the  latest,  even  of  those  very 
truths  afterward  written  for  our  admonition 
*n  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come." 


THE    GLORY  OF   GOD.  2f 

Taken  along  with  the  myths  and  traditions 
which  have  been  lodged  among  all  the  na- 
tions, I  am  quite  sure  that  we  have  here  a 
glorious  record  of  primeval  faith  and  hope, 
furnishing  a  sublime  testimony  to  the  antici- 
pations of  the  first  believers,  and  at  the  same 
time  an  invincible  attestation  to  the  blessed 
Gospel  on  which  our  expectations  of  eternal 
life  are  built.  Not  to  the  being  and  attributes 
of  an  eternal  Creator  alone,  but,  above  all,  to 
the  specific  and  peculiar  work  of  our  redemp- 
tion, and  to  Him  in  whom  standeth  our  salva- 
tion, are  these  "lights  in  the  firmament"  the 
witnesses  and  "signs" 

The  Glory  of  God. 

One  of  the  sublimest  of  the  Psalms,  which 
celebrates  the  twofold  world  of  Nature  and 
Revelation,  begins  with  the  ever-memorable 
assertion,  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of 
God!'  What  the  heavens  are  thus  said  to 
declare  certainly  includes  more  than  the  ce- 
lestial bodies  naturally  tell  concerning  their 
Creator.  Their  showing  forth  of  His  "  handi- 
work," His  wisdom  and  power,  is  the  subject 
of  a  separate  and  distinct  part  of  the  grand 
sentence. 

The  chief  "glory  of  God"  cannot  be  learn- 


28  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

cd  from  Nature  alone,  simply  as  Nature.  The 
moral  attributes  of  Deity,  and  His  manifesta- 
tions in  moral  government,  are  pre-eminently 
His  glory.  In  the  sending,  incarnation,  per- 
son, revelations,  offices,  and  achievements  of 
Jesus  Christ,  above  all,  has  God  shown  forth 
His  glory.  We  are  told  in  so  many  words 
that  Christ  is  "  the  image  and  glory  of  God ;" 
nay,  "  the  brightness — the  very  outbeaming — 
of  His  glory."  The  glory  of  God  is  "  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ."  There  can  therefore 
be  no  full  and  right  declaring  of  "  the  glory 
of  God"  which  does  not  reach  and  embrace 
Christ,  and  the  story  of  redemption  through 
Him.  But  the  starry  worlds,  simply  as  such, 
do  not  and  cannot  declare  or  show  forth 
Christ  as  the  Redeemer,  or  the  glory  of  God 
in  Him.  If  they  do  it  at  all,  they  must  do  it 
as  "  signs,"  arbitrarily  used  for  that  purpose. 
Yet  the  Psalmist  affirms  that  these  heavens 
lo  "  declare  the  glory  of  God."  Are  we  not 
therefore  to  infer  that  the  story  of  Christ 
and  redemption  is  somehow  expressed  by 
the  stars  ?  David  may  or  may  not  have  so 
understood  it,  but  the  Holy  Ghost,  speaking 
through  him,  knew  the  implication  of  the 
words,  which,  in  such  a  case,  must  not  be 
stinted,  but  accc  pted  in  the  fullest  sense  they 


THE    GOSPEL   STORY.  29 

will  bear.  And  as  it  is  certain  that  God 
meant  and  ordained  a  use  of  the  heavenly 
bodies  in  which  they  should  "  be  for  signs" 
and  as  we  are  here  assured  that  what  they 
have  been  arranged  to  signify  is  "  the  glory 
of  God"  there  would  seem  to  be  ample 
scriptural  warrant  for  believing  that,  by  spe- 
cial divine  order  and  appointment,  the  illus- 
tration of  God's  moral  government,  partic- 
ularly as  embraced  in  the  story  of  sin,  and 
redemption  by  Jesus  Christ,  is  to  be  found  in 
the  stars,  according  to  some  primordial  and 
sacred  system  of  astronomy. 

Thus,  by  way  of  the  Bible  itself,  we  reach 
the  idea  of  the  Gospel  in  the  Stars,  which 
it  is  my  purpose,  with  the  help  of  God,  to 
identify,  illustrate,  and  prove. 

The  Gospel  Story. 
The  Gospel  is  chiefly  made  up  of  the  story 
of  the  Serpent  and  the  Cross — the  doctrine 
of  the  fall  and  depravity  of  man  through  the 
subtlety  of  "the  Dragon,  that  old  Serpent, 
called  the  Devil  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth 
the  whole  world,"  and  the  recovery  of  fallen 
man  through  a  still  mightier  One,  who  comes 
from  heaven,  assumes  human  nature,  and  by 
suffering,  death,  and  exaltation  to  the  right 
3* 


30        THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

hand  of  supreme  dominion,  vanquishes  the 
Dragon  and  becomes  the  Author  of  eternal 
salvation.  The  preaching  of  this  is  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  earnest  and 
hopeful  belief  of  this  is  the  belief  of  the 
Gospel,  according  to  the  Scriptures  and  all 
the  accepted  Creeds  of  the  Church  from  the 
days  of  the  apostles  till  now. 

The  same  was  also  known  and  believed 
from  the  earliest  periods  of  human  existence. 
The  Bible  is  particular  to  tell  us,  in  its  very 
first  chapters,  of  a  subtle  and  evil  spirit, 
contemplated  and  named  as  "  the  Serpent," 
through  whose  agency  Eve  was  beguiled,  and 
the  human  race,  then  consisting  of  but  two 
persons,  brought  into  sin,  condemnation  and 
death.  It  is  equally  particular  to  tell  us  in  the 
same  chapter  that  while  Adam  was  yet  in  Par- 
adise, though  guilty  and  about  to  be  driven  out 
into  an  adverse  world,  the  Lord  pronounced 
a  sentence  on  the  Serpent,  in  which  He  gave 
forth  the  comprehensive  primordial  Gospel 
promise;  with  all  the  fundamental  elements 
of  the  true  and  only  evangelic  faith :  "  And 
the  Lord  said  unto  the  serpent,  Becatise  thou 
hast  done  this,  thou  art  cursed.  .  .  .  And  I  will 
put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and 
betweeii  her  Seed  and  thy  seed ;  it  (He)  shall 


THE    GOSPEL   STORY.  31 

bruise  thy  head,  arid  thou  shalt  bruise  His  heel " 
(Gen.  3:  14,  15). 

From  the  most  sacred  and  authoritative  of 
records  we  thus  find  the  original  of  all  le- 
gends and  myths  of  the  Serpent  and  his  De- 
stroyer, of  the  conflict  with  the  Dragon,  and 
the  ultimate  slaying  of  him  by  that  mighty 
One  to  be  born  of  woman  ;  who  would  have 
to  toil  and  suffer  indeed,  but  would  not  give 
over  till  His  victory  should  be  complete.  In 
that  one  pregnant  text  we  identify  the  Ser- 
pent and  the  Cross — the  Prince  of  Evil  and 
the  Prince  of  Peace — the  Dragon-Deceiver 
and  the  suffering  Redeemer — the  deadly  ma- 
lignity of  the  one  and  the  self-sacrificing  be- 
neficence of  the  other — an  irreconcilable  feud 
between  them,  with  a  promised  crushing  out 
of  the  Destroyer  by  the  wounded  Saviour. 
In  other  words,  we  thus,  from  the  very  begin- 
ning of  human  history,  come  upon  and  iden- 
tify the  one  great  master-theme  of  both  Tes- 
taments, the  chief  substance  of  all  prophecy 
and  promise,  and  the  sum  of  all  evangelic 
preaching,  faith,  and  hope,  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world.  And  what  I  propose  to 
show  in  this  series  of  Lectures  is,  that  this 
very  story,  in  all  its  length  and  breadth, 
stands  written  upon  the  stars,  put    there  in 


32  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

the  original  framing  of  astronomy  as  an  ever- 
lasting witness  of  God's  gracious  purposes 
toward  our  race,  and  that  the  heavens  do 
verily  declare  the  highest  glory  of  God. 

How  the  Stars  are  Made  to  Speak. 
To  those  who  have  never  looked  into  the 
science  of  astronomy,  its  truths,  predictions, 
and  revelations  necessarily  appear  very  mys- 
terious and  surprising.  Looking  out  upon 
the  multitude  of  stars  that  shine  in  the  noc- 
turnal heavens,  they  seem  to  be  so  scattered, 
so  entirely  without  order,  so  confusedly  spread 
over  the  face  of  the  sky,  that  the  untutored 
mind  may  well  despair  of  reading  anything 
intelligible  there.  And  when,  by  the  aid  of 
the  telescope,  thousands  are  multiplied  to  mil- 
lions, and  suns,  systems,  and  universes  rise  to 
view,  and  the  eye  sweeps  outward  to  distances 
which  no  figures  of  our  arithmetic  can  express, 
and  into  unfathomable  gulfs  of  space  all  filled 
up  with  an  endless  profusion  of  innumerable 
worlds,  any  understanding  of  them,  especially 
the  deciphering  of  great  evangelic  truths  from 
them,  would  seem  to  be  the  height  of  impos- 
sibility. And  if  now,  for  the  first  time,  man 
had  to  grapple  with  the  problem,  with  nothing 
going  before  to  assist  him,  vain  indeed  would 


STAR-GROUPS.  33 

be  our  poor  short-lived  efforts  to  master  such 
a  tremendous  field. 

But  we  have  not  now  for  the  first  time,  or 
with  only  our  weak  and  unaided  powers,  to 
make  the  commencement  of  this  study.  Men 
who  lived  almost  a  thousand  years — men  with 
powers  of  vision  that  lasted  undimmed  through 
nearly  a  decade  of  centuries — men  with  minds 
in  much  closer  communion  than  ours  with  the 
infinite  and  eternal  Intelligence  —  have  em- 
ployed themselves,  helped  as  they  were  by 
the  great  Maker's  Spirit,  in  observing,  classi- 
fying, grouping,  and  designating  these  starry 
worlds,  assigning  them  their  names,  marking 
their  courses,  and  making  them  the  bearers 
of  wisdom  the  dearest  and  most  precious  ever 
made  known  to  man.  In  their  hands  and  to 
their  peering  scrutiny  this  wilderness  of  stellar 
glories  took  order,  shape,  and  readable  mean- 
ing which  the  depravities  of  the  after  ages 
have  not  been  able  to  set  aside,  and  which, 
by  the  scientific  enlightenment  of  our  times, 
we  may  retrace,  and  bring  our  minds  into 
communion  with  their  own. 

Star-Groups. 
Any  one   attentively  observing  the   starry 
heavens  will  see  that  some  of  the  stars  are 


34        THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

brighter  than  others,  "  for  one  star  cliffereth 
from  another  star  in  glory."  Some  hold  their 
places  from  age  to  age  with  variations  so 
slight  as  scarcely  to  be  observable  in  thou- 
sands of  years.  Some  of  them  are  "  wander- 
ing stars,"  changing  places  continually,  going 
and  returning  at  fixed  intervals.  Some  of 
them  are  nestled  together  in  particular  groups, 
or  stand  alone  in  their  special  glories  so  as  to 
be  easily  distinguished.  By  means  of  these 
facts  maps  of  the  heavens  can  be  made  as 
well  as  maps  of  the  earth ;  and  by  the  long 
and  careful  observation  and  study  of  them  it 
has  come  to  be  known  how  these  heavenly 
configurations  stood  and  will  stand  at  any 
particular  period  of  time. 

The  starry  heavens,  therefore,  are  not  mere 
unmeaning  and  incomprehensible  show — not 
a  boundless  and  trackless  wilderness  of  lu- 
minous orbs.  There  are  paths  which  we  can 
thread,  sometimes  dark  and  rugged,  and  often 
leading  into  depths  through  which  it  is  hard 
to  follow  them,  but  still  not  untraceable.  As 
men  can  find  a  way  through  the  most  intricate 
musical  composition,  through  a  great  poem, 
through  a  sublime  oration,  and  through  the 
plans  and  ideas  of  the  most  complicated  spe- 
cimen of  mechanism  or  architecture,  so  may 


STAR-GROUPS.  35 

we  find  our  way  through  the  starry  heavens, 
and  mostly  tell  where  we  are,  what  we  are 
contemplating,  what  relation  part  bears  to  part, 
and  read  from  these  glorious  luminaries  as  we 
would  read  from  the  face  of  a  clock  or  from 
the  placements  of  the  letters  of  the  alphabet. 
And  as  most  of  these  star-groups  retain  al- 
most precisely  the  same  places  and  relations 
for  thousands  on  thousands  of  years,  if  any  one 
cognizant  of  the  facts,  and  setting  himself  for 
the  first  time  to  describe  them,  had  wished  to 
record  certain  great  ideas  for  unchanged  per- 
petuation to  the  most  distant  ages,  among  all 
the  objects  of  Nature  he  could  have  selected 
none  so  appropriate  to  his  purpose  or  so  per- 
manently enduring  as  these  stellar  groups  and 
configurations.  Naming  them,  and  connect- 
ing them  with  certain  symbols  of  the  ideas  he 
wished  to  convey,  and  transmitting  and  ex- 
plaining to  his  posterity  those  names  and  fig- 
ures thus  conjoined  with  the  stars,  he  would 
link  with  his  astronomy  a  whole  system  of 
thoughts  and  hopes  as  clear  as  the  stars  them- 
selves, and  utterly  imperishable  as  long  as 
that  astronomy  should  remain  in  the  know- 
ledge of  men. 

And  this,  as  I  hope  to  make   manifest,  is 
exactly  what  has  been  done. 


36  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

Figures  of  the  Star-Groups. 
Somewhere  in  the  earliest  ages  of  human 
existence  the  stars  were  named  and  arranged 
into  groups  by  some  one  thoroughly  familiar 
with   the   great   facts   of    astronomy.     Those 
names  and  groupings  were  at  the  same  time 
included  in  certain  figures,   natural  or  imagi- 
nary, but  intensely  symbolic  and  significant. 
These  names  and  figures  have  thence   been 
perpetuated  in  all  the  astronomic  records  of 
all    the   ages    and    nations    since.     They  are 
founded  on  indisputable  astronomic  truth,  and 
hence  form  the  groundwork  of  all  maps  and 
designations  of    the    celestial    presentations. 
They    are    in    all    the    planispheres,   celestial 
globes,  and  star-charts  among  all  people,  from 
one  end  of  the  earth  to  the  other.     Astrono- 
mers growl  at  them,  consider  them  arbitrary 
and  unnatural,  and  sometimes  denounce  them 
as  cumbrous,  puerile,  and  confusing,  but  have 
never  been  able  to  brush  them  off,  or  to  substi- 
tute anything  better  or  more  convenient  in  their 
place.    They  are  part  of  the  common  and  uni- 
versal language  of  astronomical  science.    They 
have  place  and  representation  in  all  the  alma- 
nacs of  all  enlightened  peoples.    They  are  in  all 
the  books  and  records  devoted  to  descriptions 


FIGURES  OF   THE   STAR-GROUPS.  S7 

of  the  heavens.  Faith  and  skepticism,  piety 
and  irreligion,  alike  adopt  and  use  them. 
Revelation  and  pagan  superstition  both  recog- 
nize them.  Heathen,  Mohammedans,  and  Chris- 
tians, the  oldest  with  the  latest,  disagreeing 
in  so  many  things,  yet  agree  in  adopting  and 
honoring  these  primitive  notations  of  the 
stars.  Even  those  who  have  the  most  fault 
to  find  with  them  still  employ  them,  and  can- 
not get  on  without  them.  And  in  and  from 
these  the  showing  is,  that  all  the  great  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  faith  were  known,  be- 
lieved, cherished,  and  recorded  from  the  ear- 
liest  generations  of  our  race,  proving  that 
God  has  spoken  to  man,  and  verily  given 
him  a  revelation  of  truths  and  hopes  precise- 
ly as  written  in  our  Scriptures,  and  so  fondly 
cherished  by  all  Christian  believers. 

The  announcement  may  sound  strange,  and 
the  undertaking  to  trace  it  may  be  deemed 
adventurous  and  fanciful ;  but  if  those  who 
hear  me  will  go  with  me  into  the  investiga- 
tion, and  look  at  and  weigh  the  facts,  I  am 
sure  that  we  shall  come  out  of  the  study  all 
the  more  satisfied  with  the  certainty  of  our 
Christian  hopes,  and  all  the  more  filled  with 
admiration  of  the  goodness  and  wisdom  of 

o 

the  eternal  Creator  of  all  things. 


38  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

I  ask  no  preliminary  scientific  knowledge 
of  astronomy  in  order  to  follow  what  I  have 
to  say,  as  that  will  not  be  needed.  If  a  star- 
map,  celestial  chart,  or  globe  of  the  heavens 
were  consulted  to  familiarize  the  mind  with 
the  figures  denoting  the  principal  constella- 
tions, it  would  aid  in  appreciating  the  discus- 
sion ;  but  if  my  hearers  will  favor  me  with 
their  attention,  and  follow  me  with  their  sym- 
pathetic and  earnest  interest,  it  will  be  enough 
to  secure  a  reasonable  impression  of  the  sub- 
ject, and  to  enable  them  to  see  and  judge  of 
these  star-pictures,  whether  they  do  not  grand- 
ly set  forth  great  religious  truths,  past,  pres- 
ent, and  to  come.* 

*  Such  a  chart  or  map  of  the  heavens,  giving  the  original  forty- 
eight  figures,  and  their  relative  locations  and  principal  stars,  has  been 
prepared  to  accompany  this  work ;  but  it  may  prove  more  satisfactory 
to  consult  the  usual  charts  or  planispheres  prepared  for  astronomic 
studies.  In  the  absence  of  facilities  for  consulting  the  common  appa- 
ratus for  learning  astronomy,  the  reader  will  be  much  helped  by  re- 
ferring carefully  to  the  chart  here  given  as  allusion  is  made  to  the 
particular  constellations  in  the  course  of  the  discussion. 


ILccture  g>ccontr. 

THE  SACRED   CONSTELLATIONS. 

Job  26  :  13  :  "By  His  Spirit  He  hath  garnished  the  heavens  ;   His 
hand  hath  formed  the  crooked  Serpent." 

THE  Gospel  story,  as  written  on  the  stars, 
like  much  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  is 
pictorial.  The  record  is  accompanied  with 
important  explanatory  materials,  but  the  chief 
substance  is  given  in  pictures. 

The  Constellations. 

Every  atlas  of  the  heavens  is  filled  up  with 
figures  and  outlines  of  men,  women,  animals, 
monsters,  and  other  objects,  each  including  a 
certain  set  of  stars.  These  stars,  as  thus  des- 
ignated and  embraced,  constitute  so  many 
separate  clusters  or  groups  called  the  Con- 
stellations, and  these  asterisms  or  constella- 
tions cover  all  the  principal  stars  visible  to 
the  naked  eye. 

In  the  primeval  astronomy  the  number  of 
these  figures  or  star-groups  was  forty-eight. 
In  imitation  of  them,  dozens  more  have  been 

39 


40  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

added,  mostly  by  modern  philosophers.  Among 
these  additions  are  the  Sextant,  the  Giraffe, 
the  Fox  and  Goose,  the  Horned  Horse,  the 
Fly,  the  Greyhounds,  the  Lynx,  the  Bird  of 
Paradise,  Noah's  Dove,  the  Clock,  the  Sculp- 
tor's Workshop,  the  Painter's  Easel,  the  Air- 
Pump,  Sobieski's  Shield,  the  Brandenburg 
Sceptre,  and  such  like  ;  which  may  serve  to 
designate  the  groups  of  inferior  stars  to  which 
they  have  been  assigned,  but  which  are  other- 
wise totally  meaningless,  and  utterly  unworthy 
of  the  associations  into  which  they  have  been 
thrust.  Havino-  no  connection  whatever  with 
the  primitive  constellations,  except  as  poor  and 
impertinent  imitations,  they  must  of  course 
be  thrown  out  and  cast  quite  aside  from  the 
inquiry  now  in  hand.  They  are  no  part  of 
the  original  writing  upon  the  stars,  as  pro- 
posed for  our  present  reading. 

The  primary  and  chief  series  of  the  old 
forty-eight  constellations  is  formed  on  the 
line  which  the  Sun  seems  to  mark  in  the  prog- 
ress of  the  year,  called  the  Ecliptic.  That 
line  is  really  the  path  of  the  earth  around  the 
Sun,  in  the  course  of  which  the  Sun  seems  to 
move  thirty  degrees  every  month,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  twelfth  month  appears  again  where 
it  started  at  the  beeinnincr  0f  tne  fjrst  month. 


THE   ZODIAC.  41 

The  moon  and  planets  follow  apparently  much 
the  same  path,  and  are  always  seen  within 
eight  or  nine  degrees  of  the  line  of  the  Sun's 
course.  We  thus  have  a  Nature-indicated 
belt,  about  sixteen  degrees  wide,  extending 
around  the  entire  circuit  of  the  heavens,  half 
the  year  north  and  half  the  year  south  of  the 
equator  of  the  earth  extended  into  the  sky. 

The  Zodiac. 
Whilst  the  sun  is  thus  making  its  annual 
course  from  west  to  east  through  the  centre 
of  this  belt  or  zone,  the  moon  makes  twelve 
complete  revolutions  around  the  earth,  sug- 
gesting the  division  of  this  belt  into  twelve 
parts,  or  sections,  of  thirty  degrees  each  ;  for 
twelve  times  thirty  degrees  complete  the  cir- 
cle. We  thus  note  twelve  equal  steps  or 
stages  in  the  Sun's  path  as  it  makes  its  an- 
nual circuit  through  the  heavens.  And  this 
belt  or  zone,  with  these  twelve  moons  or 
months  for  its  steps  or  stages,  is  called  the 
Zodiac,  from  the  primitive  root  zoad,  a  walk, 
way,  or  going  by  steps,  like  Jacob's  ladder. 

The  Twelve  Signs. 
So,   again,   each  of  these  steps,  stages,  or 
sections   includes  a  certain   number  of  fixed 

4* 


42  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

stars,  making  up  a  group  or  constellation, 
which  has  its  own  particular  figure,  picture, 
or  "  sio-n  "  to  designate  it,  and  after  which  it 
is  called.  Hence  the  Twelve  Signs  of  the 
Zodiac,  which  are  given  in  all  the  regular  al- 
manacs, and  to  which  people  have  generally 
had  much  regard  in  timing  their  industries 
and  undertakings.     These  signs  are : 

I.  Virgo,  the  Virgin  :  the  figure  of  a  young 
woman  lying  prostrate,  with  an  ear  of  wheat 
in  one  hand  and  a  branch  in  the  other. 

II.  Libra,  the  Scales :  the  figure  of  a  pair 
of  balances,  with  one  end  of  the  beam  up  and 
the  other  down,  as  in  the  act  of  weighing.  In 
some  of  the  old  planispheres  a  hand,  or  a  wo- 
man, appears  holding  the  scales. 

III.  Scorpio,  the  Scorpion :  the  figure  of  a 
gigantic,  noxious,  and  deadly  insect,  with  its 
tail  and  sting  uplifted  in  anger,  as  if  striking. 

IV.  Sagittarius,  the  Bowman :  the  figure 
of  a  horse  with  the  body,  arms,  and  head  of  a 
man— a  centaur — with  a  drawn  bow  and  ar- 
row pointed  at  the  Scorpion. 

V.  Capricornus,  the  Goat:  the  figure  of  a 
goat  sinking  down  as  in  death,  with  the  hinder 
part  of  its  body  terminating  in  the  vigorous 
tail  of  a  fish. 

VI.  Aquarius,   the  Waterman :    the   figure 


THE    TWELVE   SIGNS.  43 

of  a  man  with  a  large  urn,  the  contents  of 
which  he  is  in  the  act  of  pouring  out  in  a 
great  stream  from  the  sky. 

VII.  Pisces,  the  Fishes :  the  figures  of  two 
large  fishes  in  the  act  of  swimming,  one  to 
the  northward,  the  other  with  the  ecliptic. 

VIII.  Aries,  the  Ram,  by  some  nations 
called  the  Lamb  :  the  figure  of  a  strong  sheep, 
with  powerful  curved  horns,  lying  down  in 
easy  composure,  and  looking  out  in  conscious 
strength  over  the  field  around  it. 

IX.  Taurus,  the  Bull :  the  figure  of  the 
shoulders,  neck,  head,  horns,  and  front  feet 
of  a  powerful  bull,  in  the  attitude  of  rushing 
and  pushing  forward  with  great  energy. 

X.  Gemini,  the  Twins,  or  a  man  and  woman 
sometimes  called  Adam  and  Eve :  usually, 
two  human  figures  closely  united,  and  seated 
together  in  endeared  affection.  In  some  of 
the  older  representations  the  figure  of  this 
constellation  consists  of  two  goats,  or  kids. 

XI.  Cancer,  the  Crab  :  the  figure  of  a  crab, 
in  the  act  of  taking  and  holding  on  with  its 
strong  pincer  claws.  In  Egyptian  astronomy 
the  scarabseus  beetle,  grasping  and  holding 
on  to  the  ball  in  which  its  eggs  are  deposited, 
takes  the  place  of  the  crab. 

XII.  Leo,  the  Lion :  the  figure  of  a  great 


44  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

rampant  lion,  leaping  forth  to  rend,  with  his 
feet  over  the  writhing  body  of  Hydra,  the 
Serpent,  which  is  in  the  act  of  fleeing. 

These  twelve  cardinal  signs  cover  a  large 
part  of  the  visible  heavens,  and  extend  en- 
tirely around  the  earth,  making  and  marking 
the  Solar  Zodiac. 

The  Mansions  of  the  Moon. 
But  ancient  astronomy  gives  a  further  sub- 
division of  these  twelve  signs  into  twenty- 
eight,  called  the  Mansions  of  the  Moon,  or  the 
Lunar  Zodiac.  The  moon  makes  its  revolu- 
tion around  the  earth  in  about  twenty-eight 
days,  and  so  suggests  the  division  of  its  course 
through  the  heavens  into  twenty-eight  sec- 
tions, or  steps,  one  for  each  day.  Two  and  a 
third  of  these  sections  or  Mansions  are  em- 
braced in  each  sign  of  the  Solar  Zodiac,  and 
each  mansion  is  marked  with  its  own  partic- 
ular name  and  smaller  group  of  stars.  Some 
Oriental  nations  also  had  particular  and  sepa- 
rate sets  of  figures  for  the  designation  of  these 
Lunar  Mansions,  though  not  uniformly  the 
same.  It  is  rather  from  the  names  of  these 
Mansions,  and  of  the  stars  in  them,  than  from 
the  figures  connected  with  them,  that  the  sig- 
nifications are  to  be  learned,  the  main  theme 


THE  DECANS.  45 

being  most  commandingly  given  in  the  twelve 
cardinal  signs  of  which  they  are  parts. 

The  Thirty-six  Decans. 

But  these  twelve  great  signs  do  not  stand 
alone.  Each  one  of  them  has  conjoined  with 
it,  either  on  the  north  or  south  side  of  the  Zo- 
diacal belt,  three  other  conspicuous  constella- 
tions, called  Decans,  from  the  Shemitic  dek,  a 
"part"  or  "piece." 

Albumazer — sometimes  called  Abu  Masher 
— a  great  Arab  physician  and  astronomer  who 
lived  about  a  thousand  years  ago,  and  whose 
minute  and  learned  writings  on  the  subject 
have  been  commented  on  by  Aben  Ezra  as 
of  the  highest  authority,  refers  to  "  the  Decans 
and  their  houses  according  to  the  Persians, 
Babylonians,  and  Egyptians,"  and  says :  "  Here 
follow  the  Decans,  which  the  Arabs  in  their 
language  call  faces.  They  are  three  to  each 
sign  of  the  Way!'  He  says  that  the  Indians 
also  had  these  Decans  to  each  sign.  And 
Aben  Ezra  says  :  "  According  to  Albumazer, 
none  of  these  forms  from  their  first  invention 
have  varied  in  coming  down  to  us,  nor  one  of 
their  words  [names]  changed,  not  a  point 
added  or  removed."  Southey  (in  The  Doctor, 
vol.  iii.  p.  115)  remarks  that  "  in  Egypt  every 


46        THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

month  was  supposed  to  be  under  the  care  of 
three  Decerns,  or  directors,  for  the  import 
of  the  word  must  be  found  in  the  neighbor- 
ing language  of  the  Hebrews  and  Syrians.* 
There  were  thirty-six  of  these,  each  superin- 
tending ten  days  ;  and  these  Decans  were  be- 
lieved to  exercise  the  most  extensive  influ- 
ence. Astrological  squares  calculated  upon 
this  mythology  are  still  in  existence."  These 
Decans  can,  for  the  most  part,  be  distin- 
guished by  the  fact  that  those  belonging  to 
any  one  particular  sign  come  upon  the  merid- 
ian, or  close  along  the  meridian-line,  at  the 
same  time  with  the  sign  to  which  they  belong. 
Originally,  they  perhaps  were  all  on  the  me- 
ridian along  with  the  signs  to  which  they  per- 
tain. 

Albumazer's  enumeration  of  them  is  fully 
credited  by  the  Jewish  Aben  Ezra,  himself  a 
learned  astronomer,  Orientalist,  and  scholar, 
who  wrote  a  commentary  on  Albumazer's 
work.  And  after  the  closest  scrutiny,  those 
who  have  most  thoroughly  examined  and  mas- 
tered the  subject  in  its  various  relations  entire- 

*  This  word  is  evidently  from  the  Noetic  or  Shemitic  Decah,  to  break. 
Hence  Decan,  a  "  piece,"  a  "  division."  Thus  we  have  dek  in  Dan. 
2:45,  to  denote  a  fragment  or  piece.  And  thus  we  still  have  in 
English  the  word  deck,  to  denote  a  part  of  a  ship — the  face  of  a  ship, 
as  the  Arabs  also  called  these  Decans  faces. 


THE   DECANS.  47 

ly  agree  with  the  same  enumeration,  which  I 
therefore  accept  and  adopt  for  the  present 
inquiries  into  this  starry  lore,  sure  that  the 
particular  examination  of  each  sign,  with  the 
Decans  thus  assigned  to  it,  will  furnish  ample 
internal  proof  that  this  enumeration  is  cor- 
rect according  to  the  original  intention. 

I.  The  Decans  of  Virgo. 

i.  Coma,  the  Infant,  the  Branch,  the  De- 
sired One  (erroneously,  Berenice  s  Hair)  ; 

2.  Centauries,  a  centaur,  with  dart  piercing 
a  victim  ; 

3.  Bootes,  or  Arcturus,  the  great  Shepherd 
and  Harvester,  holding  a  rod  and  sickle,  and 
walking  forth  before  his  flocks  (erroneously 
called  Bears). 

II.  The  Decans  of  Libra. 

1.  The  Cross,  over  which  Centaur  is  ad- 
vancing, called  the  Southern  Cross ; 

2.  Victim  of  Centaur,  slain,  pierced  to  death  ; 

3.  The  Crozvn,  which  the  Serpent  aims  to 
take,  called  the  Northern  Crown. 

III.  The  Decans  of  Scorpio. 

1.  The  Serpent,  struggling  with  Ophiuchus; 

2.  Ophiuchus,  wrestling  with  the  Serpent, 


4  8        THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

stung  in  one  heel  by  the  Scorpion,  and  crush- 
ing it  with  the  other ; 

3.  Hercules,  wounded  in  his  heel,  the  other 
foot  over  the  Dragon's  head,  holding  in  one 
hand  the  Golden  Apples  and  the  three-headed 
Dog  of  hell,  and  in  the  other  the  uplifted  club. 

IV.  The  Decans  of  Sagittarius. 

1.  Lyra,  an  Eagle  holding  the  Lyre,  as  in 
triumphanfgladness  ; 

2.  Ara,  the  Altar,  with  consuming  fires, 
burning  downward; 

3.  Draco,  the  Dragon,  the  old  Serpent, 
winding  himself  about  the  Pole  in  horrid  links 
and  contortions. 

V.  The  Decans  of  Capricornus. 

1.  Sagitta,  the  Arrow,  or  killing  dart  sent 
forth,  the  naked  shaft  of  death ; 

2.  Aquila,  the  Eagle,  pierced  and  falling ; 

3.  Delphinus,  the  Dolphin,  springing  up, 
raised  out  of  the  sea. 

VI.  The  Decans  of  Aquarius. 
: .    The  Southern  Fish,  drinking  in  the  strea  m ; 

2.  Pegasus,  a  white  horse,  winged  and  speed- 
ing, as  with  good  tidings  ; 

3.  Cygnus,  the  Swan  on  the  wing,  going 
and  returning,  bearing  the  sign  of  the  cross. 


THE   BE  CANS.  49 

VII.  The  Decans  of  Pisces. 

i.  The  Band,  holding  up  the  Fishes,  and 
held  by  the  Lamb,  its  doubled  end  fast  to  the 
neck  of  Cetus,  the  Sea-Monster  ; 

2.  Cepheus,  a  crowned  king,  holding  a  band 
and  sceptre,  with  his  foot  planted  on  the  pole- 
star  as  the  great  Victor  and  Lord  ; 

3.  Andromeda,  a  woman  in  chains,  and 
threatened  by  the  serpents  of  Medusa's  head. 

VIII.  The  Decans  of  Aries. 

1.  Cassiopeia,  the  woman  enthroned; 

2.  Cetus,  the  Sea -Monster,  closely  and 
strongly  bound  by  the  Lamb ; 

3.  Perseus,  an  armed  and  mighty  man  with 
winged  feet,  who  is  carrying  away  in  triumph 
the  cut-off  head  of  a  monster  full  of  writhing 
serpents,  and  holding  aloft  a  great  sword  in 
his  rigfht  hand. 

IX.  The  Decans  of  Taurus. 

1.  Orion,  a  glorious  Prince,  with  a  sword 
girded  on  his  side,  and  his  foot  on  the  head 
of  the  Hare  or  Serpent ; 

2.  Eridanus,  the  tortuous  River,  accounted 
as  belonging-  to  Orion  ; 

3.  Auriga,  the  Wagoner,  rather  the  Shep* 


50        THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

herd,  carrying  a  she-goat  and  two  little  goats 
on  his  left  arm,  and  holding  cords  or  bands 
in  his  right  hand. 

X.  The  Decans  of  Gemini. 
i.  Lepns,  the  Hare,  in  some  nations  a  ser- 
pent, the  mad  enemy  under  Orion's  feet ; 

2.  Cams  Major,  Sirius,  the  Great  Dog,  the 
Prince  coming; 

3.  Cams  Minor %  Procyon,  the  Second  Dog, 
following  after  Sirius  and  Orion. 

XI.  The  Decans  of  Cancer. 

1 .  Ursa  Minor,  anciently  the  Lesser  Sheep- 
fold,  close  to  and  including  the  Pole  ; 

2.  Ursa  Major,  anciently  the  Greater  Sheep- 
fold,  in  connection  with  Arcturus,  the  guardian 
and  keeper  of  the  flock  ; 

3.  Argo,  the  Ship,  the  company  of  trav- 
ellers under  the  bright  Canopus,  their  Prince, 
the  Argonauts  returned  with  the  Golden 
Fleece. 

XII.  The  Decans  of  Leo. 

1.  Hydra,  the  fleeing  Serpent,  trodden  un- 
der foot  by  the  Crab  and  Lion  ; 

?.  Crater,  the  Cup  or  Bowl  of  Wrath  on 
the  Serpent ; 


THE   PLANETS.  5  I 

3.  Corvus,  the  Raven  or  Crow,  the  bird  of 
doom,  tearing  the  Serpent. 

This  ends  up  the  main  story.  And  the 
mere  naming  of  these  significant  pictures 
casts  a  light  over  the  intelligent  Christian 
mind,  which  makes  it  feel  at  once  that  it  is 
in  the  midst  of  the  most  precious  symbols 
and  ideas  connected  with  our  faith,  as  they 
are  everywhere  set  out  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. 

The  Planets. 
A  further  and  very  conspicuous  marking 
among  the  heavenly  bodies  appears  in  the 
difference  between  the  fixed  stars  and  those 
more  brilliant  orbs  which  are  continually 
changing  their  places.  In  reality,  none  of  the 
stars  are  absolutely  fixed.  Nearly  all  of  them 
have  been  observed  to  be  in  motion,  shifting 
their  relative  places,  but  moving  so  very 
slowly  that  the  changes  are  quite  impercep- 
tible except  when  hundreds  of  years  are 
taken  into  the  observation.  But  it  is  very 
different  with  some  four,  five,  or  more  of  the 
most  brilliant  of  the  heavenly  luminaries. 
Though  seeming  to  go  around  the  earth  like 
all  the  other  stars,  their  behavior  is  eccentric, 
and  their  periods  and   motions  are   uneven. 


52  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

Two  of  them  make  their  rounds  in  less  than 
a  year,  and  three  others  take  two,  twelve,  and 
thirty  years.  They  do  not  keep  at  the  same 
distances  from  each  other,  nor  their  places 
among  the  more  fixed  stars.  They  are  called 
Planets,  or  Wanderers.  The  names  of  these 
five  old  planets,  as  known  to  our  astronomy, 
are,  Mercury,  Venus,  Mars,  Jupiter,  and  Sat- 
urn. There  are  other  planets,  but  they  are 
not  recognizable  to  the  naked  eye.  And  to 
these  five  wanderers,  hence  called  planets, 
the  ancients  added  the  Sun  and  Moon,  mak- 
ing the  seven  most  renowned  of  all  the  celes- 
tial bodies.  The  path  of  each  of  them  lies 
within  the  limits  of  the  Zodiacal  belt  or  zone ; 
and  the  Twelve  Signs  of  the  Zodiac  them- 
selves were  mostly  regarded  as  the  Twelve 
Mansions  of  these  conspicuous  travellers, 
which  the  old  idolaters  glorified  as  the  seven 
great  gods. 

The  Constellations  Divine. 
In  these  several  markings,  groupings,  and 
designations  of  the  heavenly  hosts  we  have 
all  the  most  conspicuous  elements  and  nota- 
tions of  the  primeval  astronomy.  And  these 
pre-eminently  are  what  the  text  refers  to  as 
the  garnish   of  the  heavens,   of  which   "  the 


THE    CONSTELLATIONS  DIVINE.  53 

crooked,"  or  rather  "fleeing,  Serpent "  is  here 
named  as  a  specific  part. 

There  are  but  three  things  with  which  to 
identify  this  "  fleeing  Serpent."  It  has  been 
justly  said,  "  It  is  not  likely  that  this  inspired 
writer  should  in  an  instant  descend  from  the 
garnishing  of  the  heavens  to  the  formation 
of  a  reptile."  The  discourse  is  of  the  starry 
heavens,  and  "  the  Serpent "  must  necessarily 
pertain  to  the  heavens.  Barnes  says :  "  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  Job  refers  here  to  the 
constellations,"  and  that  "  the  sense  in  the  pas- 
sage is,  that  the  greatness  and  glory  of  God 
are  seen  by  forming  the  beautiful  and  glorious 
constellations  that  adorn  the  sky."  But  if  the 
reference  is  to  a  sky-serpent,  it  must  be  either 
the  Zodiac  itself,  often  painted  on  the  ancient 
spheres  in  the  form  of  a  serpent  bent  into  a 
circle,  with  its  tail  in  its  mouth,  or  to  Draco, 
or  to  Hydra,  which  is  the  longest  figure  in 
the  sky,  stretching  through  an  entire  night, 
and  trailing  along  as  if  in  flight  from  the  point 
of  the  Scales,  beneath  the  Virgin  and  the  Lion, 
to  the  point  where  the  feet  of  the  Crab  and 
the  Lion  press  down  its  snaky  head.  All 
things  duly  considered,  I  take  it  as  referring 
to  Hydra,  just  as  Leviathan  (in  Job  41  :  1) 
refers  to  Cetus.  the  Sea-monster.     The  Drae- 

6  * 


54  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

on  does  not  so  well  answer  to  the  description 
of  "the fleeing  Serpent"  nor  yet  the  sphere  in 
the  figure  of  a  serpent.  Hydra  is  in  every 
respect  " tJie fleeing  Serpent"  as  distinguished 
from  all  other  astronomic  serpents.  It  does 
nothing  but  flee.  It  flees  from  the  triumph- 
ing Lion,  with  the  Bowl  of  Wrath  on  it  and 
the  bird  of  doom  tearing  it,  whilst  the  holders 
of  the  precious  possession  trample  its  head 
beneath  their  feet.  But,  in  either  case,  there 
is  here  a  distinct  recognition  of  the  constella- 
tions and  their  figures,  and  the  same  noted  as 
the  particular  garnishing  of  the  heavens  to 
which  we  are  referred  to  see  and  read  the 
transcendent  glory  of  Jehovah. 

Who  Job  was  we  do  not  precisely  know. 
That  he  lived  before  the  Hebrew  Exodus,  be- 
fore the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
and  hence  before  Abraham,  is  evidenced  from 
the  character,  style,  contents,  and  non-con- 
tents of  his  sublime  book,  which  is  at  once  the 
oldest,  broadest,  most  original,  most  scientific 
in  all  the  Bible.  From  repeated  astronomical 
allusions  contained  in  this  book,  with  which 
uninformed  translators  have  had  much  trouble 
and  done  some  very  unworthy  work,  different 
mathematicians  have  calculated  that  Job  lived 
and  wrote  somewhere  about  twenty-one  hun- 


THE    CONSTELLATIONS  DLVINE.  55 

dred  and  fifty  years  before  Christ,  which  car- 
ries us  back  more  than  one  thousand  years 
before  Homer  and  the  Greeks,  and  a  millen- 
nium and  a  half  before  Thales,  the  first  of  the 
Greek  philosophers.  And  yet,  already  in  the 
time  of  Job  the  heavens  were  astronomically 
laid  out  and  arranged  in  the  manner  just  de- 
scribed, with  the  Zodiac  formed,  the  constella- 
tions named,  the  figures  of  them  drawn  and 
recorded,  and  the  same  accepted  and-  cele- 
brated by  God's  people  as  the  particular 
adornment  of  the  sky  in  which  to  read  the 
Almighty's  glory. 

Very  significant  also  is  this  word,  "garnish- 
ed" here  employed  by  our  translators.  Its 
main  sense  is  that  of  ornament,  decoration, 
something1  added  for  embellishment ;  but  it  has 
the  further  meaning  of  summons  and  warning. 

o  o 

And  by  these  adornings  God  hath  summoned 
the  heavens  and  filled  them  with  proclama- 
tions and  warnings  of  His  great  purposes. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  hard  to  find  another 
word  to  fit  so  truly  to  the  facts  or  to  the 
original  for  which  it  stands.  It  falls  in  pre- 
cisely with  the  whole  idea  of  the  celestial 
luminaries  being  used  "  for  signs,"  of  the 
Gospel  being  written  in  the  stars,  and  of  the 
adornment  and  beaming;  of  the  heavens  with 


56        THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

this  brightness  0f  all  sacred  brightnesses. 
And  when  we  come  to  the  direct  analysis  of 
these  frescoes  on  the  sky,  as  I  propose  in  my 
next  Lecture,  we  will  find  the  diction  of  the 
Bible  from  end  to  end  most  thoroughly  con- 
formed to  these  beautiful  constellations. 

But  more  remarkable  and  important  is  the 
positive  testimony  here  given  to  the  divine 
origin  of  these  embellishments  and  significant 
frescoes.  All  interpreters  agree  that  the  text 
refers  to  the  heavenly  constellations.  This 
is  made  the  more  certain  by  the  designation 
of  the  Serpent  in  the  second  part  of  the  par- 
allelism. That  "  fleeing  Serpent"  must  mean 
either  Draco,  the  Zodiac,  or  Hydra.  And  the 
affirmation  is  clear  and  pointed  that  the  thing 
referred  to  is  divine  in  its  formation.  Of  the 
Almighty  and  His  wisdom  and  power  Job  is 
speaking  ;  and  of  that  Almighty  it  is  declared, 
<(  By  His  Spirit  He  hath  garnished  the  heav- 
ens," and  "  His  hand  formed  the  fleeing  Ser- 
pent." If  the  frescoing  of  the  sky  with  the 
constellations  is  meant,  then  He  caused  it  to 
be  done  "by  His  Spirit" — by  impulse  and  in- 
spiration from  His  own  almightiness.  If  the 
Zodiac  is  meant,  then  His  own  hand  bent  and 
formed  it.  And  if  the  constellation  of  the 
Dragon,  or  Hydra,  is  meant,  then  He  himself 


THE    CONSTELLATIONS  DIVINE.  S7 

is  the  Author  of  it,  and,  by  implication,  the 
Author  of  the  whole  system  of  the  constella- 
tions of  which  Draco,  or  Hydra,  is  a  part.* 
We  may  wonder  and  stand  amazed  and  con- 
founded at  the  assertion  ;  but  here,  from  the 
Book  of  God,  is  the  unalterable  voucher  for 
it,  that  these  astronomic  figures,  in  their  orig- 
inal integrity  and  meaning,  diY&from  God,  and 
as  truly  inspired  as  the  Bible  itself.  And 
many  are  the  facts  which  combine  to  prove 
that  such  is  verily  the  truth. 

Who,  of  all  the  sons  of  men,  can  point  out 
any  other  origin  of  these  remarkable  denota- 
tions of  the  starry  heavens  ?  Who  can  tell 
us  when,  where,  or  by  whom  else  the  Zodiac 
was  invented,  its  signs  determined,  and  the 
attendant  constellations  fixed?  Historical  as- 
tronomy is  totally  at  a  loss  to  give  us  any 
other  information  on  the  subject.  Here  is 
the  Solar  Zoad,  with  its  twelve  signs  and  their 
thirty-six  Decans ;  here  is  the  Lunar  Zoad, 
with  its  twenty-eight  Mansions,  each  with  its 
own  particular  stars,  and  each  with  its  very 
expressive  name ;  and  here  are  the  noted 
seven  Chiefs,  playing  a  part  in  the  traditions, 
sciences,  theologies,  and  superstitions  of  earth, 
as  brilliant  as  their  splendid  display  on  the 
face  of  the  sky  ;   but  whence  and  how  they 


5  8        THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

were  framed  into  these  systems  or  came  tc 
place  so  conspicuous,  acceptation  so  uni- 
versal, and  life  so  commanding  and  imperish- 
able, even  the  science  which  handles  them 
most  is  quite  unable  to  explain.  As  seven 
cities  claimed  to  be  the  birthplace  of  Homer, 
who  most  likely  was  born  in  neither,  so  men 
in  their  uncertainty  have  referred  to  names 
and  widely  different  countries,  times,  and  ages 
for  the  source  and  authorship  of  the  primeval 
astronomy,  with  about  equal  reason  for  each, 
and  no  solid  reason  for  either.  The  world 
has  looked  in  vain  for  the  orimn  of  these  in- 
ventions  on  this  side  of  the  Flood,  or  any- 
where short  of  those  inspired  patriarchs  and 
prophets  who  illumined  the  first  periods  of 
the  race  with  their  superior  wisdom  and  ex- 
alted piety. 

Age  of  the  Constellations. 
One  great  and  commanding  fact  in  the  case 
is  that,  as  far  back  as  we  have  any  records 
of  astronomy,  these  sidereal  embellishments 
and  notations  existed  and  are  included.  We 
know  from  the  Scriptures  that  they  are  older 
than  any  one  of  the  books  which  make  up  the 
Christian  and  Jewish  Bible.  We  have  mon- 
umental  evidence   in  the   Great   Pyramid  of 


AGE    OF   THE    CONSTELLATIONS.  59 

Gizeh  that  they  were  known  and  noted  when 
that  mighty  science-structure  was  built,  twenty- 
one  hundred  and  seventy  years  before  the 
birth  of  Christ  and  a  thousand  years  before 
Homer,  who  also  refers  to  them.  The  learn- 
ed Dr.  Seyffarth,  than  whom  there  is  not  a 
more  competent  witness  living,  affirms  that 
we  have  the  most  conclusive  proofs  that  our 
Zodiac  goes  back  among  the  Romans  as  far 
as  seven  hundred  and  fifty-two  years  before 
Christ,  amono-  the  Greeks  seven  hundred  and 
seventy-eight  years  before  Christ,  among  the 
Egyptians  twenty-seven  hundred  and  eighty- 
one  years  before  Christ,  and  among  the  Ori- 
ental peoples  as  far  as  thirty-four  hundred 
and  forty-seven  years  before  Christ — even  to 
within  the  lifetime  of  Adam  himself.  Riccioli 
affirms  that  it  appears  from  the  Arab  astron- 
omy that  it  is  as  old  as  Adam's  time,  and  that 
the  names  preserved  by  it  are  antediluvian. 
Bailly  and  others  have  given  it  as  their  con- 
clusion that  astronomy  must  have  had  its  be- 
ginning when  the  summer  solstice  was  in  the 
first  degree  of  Virgo,  and  that  the  Solar  and 
Lunar  Zodiacs  are  as  old  as  that  time,  which 
could  only  be  about  four  thousand  years  be- 
fore Christ.  Professor  Mitchell  says  :  "  We 
delight  to  honor  the  names  of  Kepler,  Gali- 


60        THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

leo,  and  Newton  ;  but  we  must  go  beyond  the 
epoch  of  the  Deluge,  and  seek  our  first  dis- 
coveries among  those  sages  whom  God  per- 
mitted to  count  their  age  by  centuries,  and 
there  learn  the  order  in  which  the  secrets  of 
the    starry    world    yielded    themselves    up." 
According   to    Drummond,   "  Origen  tells    us 
that  it  was  asserted  in   the   Book  of  Enoch 
(quoted  by  the  apostle  Jude)  that  in  the  time 
of  that  patriarch  the   constellations  were  al- 
ready named  and  divided."      Albumazer  at- 
tributes   the    invention    of    both    Zodiacs    to 
Hermes  ;  and  Hermes,  according  to  the  Arab 
and  Egyptian  authorities,  was   the  patriarch 
Enoch.     Josephus  and  the  Jewish  rabbis  af- 
firm that  the  "starry  lore"  had  its  origin  with 
the  antediluvian  patriarchs,  Seth  and  Enoch. 

The  Sabbatic  Week  and  the  Stars. 
It  is  generally  claimed  that  the  Sabbath,  and 
the  week  of  seven  days  which  it  marks,  date 
back  to  the  beginning  of  the  race,  to  the  insti- 
tution of  God  himself  at  the  completion  of  the 
great  creation-work.  But  that  system  of  the 
seven  days  is  essentially  bound  up  with  these 
selfsame  astronomical  notations.  We  find 
among  all  the  ancient  nations— Chaldeans, 
Persians,  Hindoos,  Chinese,  and  Egyptians 


THE    SABBATIC  WEEK.  6 1 

that  the  seven  days  of  the  week  were  in  uni- 
versal use  ;  and,  what  is  far  more  remarkable, 
each  of  these  nations  named  the  days  of  the 
week,  as  we  still  do,  after  the  seven  planets, 
numbering  the  Sun  and  Moon  amono-  them. 
Hence  we  say  £#«-day,  Afoon-day,  Tuisco  or 
Times' -day  (Tuisco  being  the  Anglo-Saxon 
name  for  Mars),  Woden  s-ddcy  (Woden  being 
the  same  as  Mercury),  Thor's-d&y  (Thor  being 
the  same  as  Jupiter),  Friga-d&y  (Friga  or 
Freiya  being  the  same  as  Venus),  and  lastly, 
Saturn-d&y>  anciently  the  most  sacred  of  the 
seven.  The  order  is  not  that  of  the  distance, 
velocity,  or  brilliancy  of  the  orbs  named,  nei- 
ther does  the  first  day  of  the  week  always  co- 
incide among-  the  different  nations  ;  but  the 
succession,  no  matter  with  which  of  the  days 
begun,  is  everywhere  the  same.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  suppose  this  mere  accident  or  chance  ; 
and  the  fact  forces  the  conclusion  that  the  de- 
vising and  naming  of  the  seven  days  of  the 
week  dates  back  to  some  primitive  represen- 
tatives of  the  race,  from  whom  the  tradition 
has  thus  generally  descended,  and  who  at 
the  same  time  knew  and  had  regard  to  the 
seven  planets  as  enumerated  in  the  primeval 
astronomy. 


62  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

The  Alphabet  and  the  Stars. 

It  is  now  mostly  admitted  that  alphabetic 
writing1  is  as  old  as  the  human  family — that 
Adam  knew  how  to  write  as  well  as  we,  and 
that  he  did  write.  There  certainly  were  books 
or  writing's  before    the  Flood,   for   the   New 

o 

Testament  quotes  from  one  of  them,  which  it 
ascribes  to  Enoch,  and  Adam  still  lived  more 
than  three  hundred  years  after  Enoch  was 
born.  All  the  known  primitive  alphabets  had 
the  same  number  of  letters,  including  seven 
vowels,  and  all  began,  as  now,  with  A,  B,  C, 
and  ended  with  S,  T,  U.  But  whilst  we  are 
using  the  alphabet  every  day  in  almost  every- 
thing, how  few  have  ever  thought  to  remark 
why  the  letters  appear  in  the  one  fixed  order 
of  succession,  and  why  the  vowels  are  so  ir- 
regularly distributed  among  the  consonants  ! 
Yet  in  the  simple  every-day  a,  b,  <f's  we  have 
the  evidence  of  the  knowledge  and  actual  rec- 
ord of  the  seven  planets  in  connection  with 
the  Zodiac,  dating  back  to  the  year  3447  be- 
fore Christ.  If  we  refer  the  twenty-five  let- 
ters of  the  primitive  alphabet  to  the  twelve 
signs  of  the  Zodiac,  placing  the  first  two  let- 
ters in  Gemini  as  the  first  sign,  and  take  the 
seven  vowels  in  their  places  as  representing 


THE   ALPHABET  AND    THE   STARS.  6$ 

the  seven  planets,  a  for  the  Moon,  e  for  Ve- 
nus, the  two  additional  sounds  of  e*  for  the 
Sun  and  Mercury,  i  for  Mars,  o  for  Jupiter, 
and  u  for  Saturn,  as  Sanchoniathon  and  vari- 
ous of  the  ancients  say  they  are  to  be  taken, 
the  result  is  that  we  find  the  Moon  in  the  first 
half  of  Gemini,  Venus  in  the  first  half  of  Leo, 
the  Sun  in  the  latter  half  of  Virgo,  Mercury 
in  the  first  half  of  Libra,  Mars  in  the  latter 
half  of  Scorpio,  Jupiter  in  the  latter  half  of 
Aquarius,  and  Saturn  in  the  first  half  of  Gem- 
ini ;  which,  according  to  Dr.  Seyffarth,  is  an 
exact  notation  of  the  actual  condition  of  the 
heavens  at  an  ascertainable  date,  which  can 
occur  but  once  in  many  thousands  of  years, 
and  that  date  is  the  seventh  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 3447  before  Christ ! 

It  would  be  very  absurd  to  say  that  this 
was  mere  accident.  But,  if  it  was  not  acci- 
dent, it  proves  what  the  Arab  and  Jewish 
writers  affirm,  that  the  alphabet  was  in  exist- 
ence before  the  Flood,  and  demonstrates  that 
astronomy  is  coeval  with  the  formation  of  the 
alphabet. 

Other  facts,  equally  striking,  but  rather 
complex  for  ready  popular  statement,  exist,  to 
some  of  which  we  may  have  occasion  to  refer, 

*  E  and  E,  with  place  next  to  the  Hebrew  Chelh  and  the  Latin  k. 


64  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

all  going  to  show  and  prove  that  the  notations 
of  the  heavens  so  fully  recorded  in  all  antiquity 
do  unmistakably  date  back  beyond  the  Flood  ; 
that  they  came  into  being  by  no  long-forming 
induction  of  man  ;  that  the  whole  system  ap 
peared  full  and  complete  from  the  start,  like 
Pallas  from  the  brain  of  Jove  ;  and  that  the 
only  true  answer  to  the  question  of  its  origin 
is  the  one  given  in  the  text,  which  unequivo- 
cally ascribes  it  to  the  inspiration  of  God,  who 
by  His  Spirit  garnished  the  heavens  and  with 
His  own  hand  bent  the  traditional  ring  of  their 
goings. 

It  thus  appears  that  in  treating  of  these 
starry  groupings  and  pictures  we  are  dealing 
with  something  very  different  from  the  inven- 
tions of  paganism  and  mythology — with  some- 
thing as  sacred  in  origin,  as  venerable  in  age, 
and  as  edifying  in  import  as  anything  known 
to  man.  Corrupt  religion  and  classic  fable 
have  interfered  to  obscure  and  pervert  their 
meaning,  and  scientific  self-will  has  crowded 
them  with  impertinent  and  unmeaning  addi- 
tions ;  but,  in  reality,  they  constitute  the  prim- 
eval Bible — a  divine  record  of  the  true  faith 
and  hope  of  man,  the  oldest  in  human  pos- 
session. With  solemn  and  jealous  venera- 
tion does  it  become  us  to  regard  them,  and 


MORE    THAN  PAGANISM.  65 

with  devout  earnestness  to  study  them,  that 
we  may  get  from  them  what  God  meant  they 
should  be  to  His  children  upon  the  earth, — 
sure  that  what,  by  His  Spirit,  He  caused  to 
be  written  on  the  sky  is  of  one  piece  with 
what,  by  the  same  Spirit,  He  has  caused  to 
be  written  in  His  Word. 

Field  of  glories  !  spacious  field, 
And  worthy  of  the  Master  :  He  whose  hand 
With  hieroglyphics,  elder  than  the  Nile, 
Inscribed  the  mystic  tablet ;  hung  on  high 
To  public  gaze,  and  said,  Adore,  O  man  I 
The  finger  of  thy  God. 
d*  B 


lecture  EJjtrtr. 

THE  DESIRE    OE  NATIONS. 

Isa.  7:14:  "  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  son,  ana 
snail  call  his  name  Immanuel." 

THE  learned  George  Stanley  Faber,  rec- 
tor of  Long-Newton,  concedes  to  the 
showings  of  certain  French  skeptics  what  has 
often  been  noticed  and  remarked  by  the  stu- 
dents of  antiquity,  that  an  extraordinary  and 
very  particular  resemblance  exists  between 
the  facts  and  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith 
and  the  various  theologies  and  mythologies 
of  ancient  paganism. 

The  Ethnic  Myths. 
Gathering  up  and  combining  in  one  view 
what  appears  in  the  various  modifications  of 
ancient  heathenism,  we  find  it  taught  and  be- 
lieved, in  one  system  or  another,  that  eternal 
Godhead,  or  some  direct  emanation  of  eternal 
Godhead,  was  to  become  incarnate,  to  be  born 
of  a  virgin  mother,  to  spend  his  infancy  and 
childhood  among  herds  and  flocks,  whose  life 

66 


AN  INFIDEL   ARGUMENT.  6? 

should  be  sought  by  a  huge  serpent  or  dragon, 
which  was  even  to  slay  him,  but  which  he  was 
destined  to  conquer  and  crush ;  that  he  came, 
or  was  to  come,  from  heaven  for  the  purpose 
of  reforming  and  delivering  mankind ;  that 
he  was  mild,  contemplative,  and  good,  but 
still  the  god  of  vengeance,  with  power  to 
destroy  his  enemies  ;  that  he  was  a  priest,  a 
prophet,  and  a  king,  the  sacrificer  of  himself, 
and  the  parent,  husband,  and  son  of  the  great 
Mother,  denoted  often  by  a  floating  ark ;  that 
he  was  the  creator  of  worlds  and  aeons,  previ- 
ous to  which  he  moved  on  boundless  waters  ; 
that  when  slain  he  was  entombed,  descended 
into  the  hidden  world,  but  rose  to  life  again, 
ascended  the  top  of  a  lofty  mountain,  and 
thence  was  translated  to  heaven. 

The  likeness  of  these  particulars  to  the 
scriptural  teachings  concerning  Christ  is  ob- 
vious. How  to  account  for  them  among 
heathen  peoples  who  never  possessed  our 
Scriptures,  and  lived  before  our  Scriptures 
were  written,  is  a  very  interesting  and  im- 
portant question. 

An  Infidel  Argument. 
That  the  correspondence  is  not  accidental 
must  be  admitted.     Volney  has  attempted  to 


68  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

draw  an  argument  from  it  to  prove  that  Christ 
never  existed,  and  is  only  a  mythic  character, 
embodying  the  various  old  fancies  afloat  in 
the  imaginations  of  mankind  long  before  the 
time  in  which  the  Gospel  records  allege  that 
He  was  born.  The  argument  is,  that,  of  the 
two  presentations,  one  must  necessarily  be 
borrowed  from  the  other ;  that  the  old  myths 
could  not  be  borrowed  from  Christianity,  as 
they  antedate  the  Christian  times  ;  and  hence 
that  Christianity  must  needs  be  borrowed 
from  these  old  myths  and  traditions,  which  it 
has  arrayed  in  a  Jewish  dress  and  palmed 
upon  the  world  for  the  founding  of  a  new  re- 
ligious sect. 

But  this  alleged  borrowing  and  accommo 
dation  is  mere  assumption,  incapable  of  proof. 
Faber  has  shown  that  the  antediluvian  histo- 
ries, including  particularly  that  of  Noah,  fur- 
nished so  many  types  of  Christian  facts  that 
from  them  alone  could  have  been  deduced 
many  of  the  ideas  in  the  ethnic  theologies 
which  so  remarkably  accord  with  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity.  Volney  himself,  and 
others  of  his  school,  with  much  labor  and  eru- 
dition have  further  shown  that  there  is  an  as- 
tronomic record,  dating  back  to  the  times  of 
Noah    and    beyond,    which    really   gives    the 


AN  INFIDEL   ARGUMENT.  69 

story  of  the  incarnation  and  history  of  Christ, 
just  as  Christianity  attests.  It  accordingly 
devolves  upon  these  men  adequately  to  ac- 
count for  that  record  before  they  can  justly 
use  it  against  Christianity.  To  account  for 
Christianity  by  means  of  that  record,  which 
they  rightfully  claim  to  be  universal,  a.\d  yet 
to  leave  that  record  itself  unaccounted  for,  is 
really  a  mere  begging  of  the  question. 

From  the  nature  of  the  showings  on  the 
subject  we  claim  that  the  substance  of  that 
record  must  needs  have  been  a  matter  of  di- 
vine revelation,  a  thing  of  inspiration,  fixed 
in  the  earliest  ages  of  the  race.  If  we  are 
right  in  this,  it  would  fully  account  for  all  the 
old  fables,  notions,  myths,  and  ideas  so  near 
akin  to  Christianity,  and  at  the  same  time  do 
away  with  all  need,  occasion,  or  right  to  infer 
that  it  must  have  been  borrowed  and  accom- 
modated from  them.  Tracing  this  record  back 
to  the  first  ages,  as  these  men  do,  and  finding 
in  it  the  story  of  the  Serpent  and  the  Cross 
as  contained  in  the  Gospel,  we  thus  have  a 
demonstration  of  the  early  existence  of  what 
the  Bible  gives  as  a  divine  promise  and  proph- 
ecy, and  the  same  dating  from  the  time  to 
which  the  Bible  assigns  it.  That  story,  thus 
embodied  and  set  afloat  from  the  beginning, 


7<D  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

would  necessarily  descend  with  the  multipli- 
cation and  division  of  the  race  into  all  nations, 
and  give  rise  and  support  to  just  such  sacred 
myths  and  anticipations  as  we  find  confusedly 
given  in  the  traditions  and  beliefs  of  all  the 
ancient  peoples.  The  strong  presumption, 
therefore,  the  rather  is,  that  Christianity,  in- 
stead of  having  been  borrowed  and  accommo- 
dated from  those  myths,  was  in  contempla- 
tion in  that  which  gave  rise  to  them,  and  was 
the  real  spring  of  them,  as  it  is  the  fulfilment 
and  realization  of  them. 

The  Intention  Traceable. 

Of  course  this  record  has  been  much  dis- 
torted, perverted,  misused,  and  overlaid  by 
the  superstitions,  apostasies,  and  idolatries  of 
men  ;  but  the  showings  of  Bailly,  Dupuis,  Vol- 
ney,  and  more  modern  antiquarians  are  that 
it  can  still  be  traced,  and  its  main  features 
unmistakably  identified. 

Some  years  ago  I  was  in  the  great  church 
of  St.  Sophia  in  Constantinople,  built  by  the 
first  Christian  emperor,  but  now  possessed 
by  the  Mohammedan  Turks.  Among  the 
rest  of  its  wonderful  mosaics  is  a  oq^antic 
figure  of  the  Saviour  on  the  wall  over  the 
altar-place.     That  picture  was  of  course  very 


THE   SIGN  OF  VIRGO.  71 

distasteful  to  the  followers  of  the  false  Proph- 
et of  Arabia  ;  but,  not  willing  to  spoil  the 
glorious  edifice  by  digging  it  out  of  the  wall, 
they  covered  it  over  with  whitewash  and  paint. 
Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  all  attempted  oblit- 
erations, the  original  picture  still  shone  through 
the  covering,  and  could  be  distinctly  perceived 
and  identified.  And  just  so  it  is  with  these 
mosaics  upon  the  stars.  With  all  the  obscu- 
rations which  the  ages  of  apostasy  and  hea- 
thenism have  imposed  upon  them,  they  still 
shine  through,  to  tell  of  the  faith  which  put 
them  there,  and  to  declare  that  very  glory  of 
God  which  received  its  sublimest  expression 
in  the  imperishable  truths  of  our  Gospel. 
Even  astrology,  Sabaism,  the  abominations 
of  idolatry,  and  skepticism  itself,  have  been 
overruled  to  preserve  to  us  what  God,  by  His 
Spirit,  thus  caused  to  be  recorded  on  the  face 
of  the  sky  from  the  very  beginning  of  the 
world.  And  to  the  analysis  and  interpreta- 
tion of  this  record  we  now  come. 

The  Sign  of  Virgo. 
I  begin  with  Virgo,  which  I  take  to  be  the 
first  sign  in  the  Zodiac,  according  to  its  orig- 
inal intent  and  reading.     The  Zodiac  of  Esne 
begins  with  this  sign.     The  story  has  no  right 


72        THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

starting-point,  continuity,  or  end  except  as  we 
commence  with  this  constellation.  I  also  have 
the  statement  from  the  best  authorities  that 
the  custom  was  universal  among  the  ancients 
to  reckon  from  Virgo  round  to  Leo.  And  in 
this  sign  of  Virgo,  if  anywhere  among  the 
starry  groups,  we  find  the  primary  idea  in  the 
evangelic  presentations. 

The   foundation-doctrine    of   all  religion — 
the    existence    of    an    eternal    and    almighty 
God,    the    Originator,    Preserver,    and    great 
Father  of  all  things — is  assumed  as  belong- 
ing to  the  natural  intuitions  of  a  right  man. 
The  presence  of  the  universe  is  the  invincible 
demonstration  of  eternal  power  and  Godhead, 
so  that  those  are  without  excuse  who  fail  to  see 
that  there  is  a  God  or  do  not  glorify  Him  as 
God.     Revelation  is  something  superadded  to 
Nature,  which  Nature  itself  cannot  reach.    As- 
suming the  majesty  of  God  and  the  sinfulness 
of  man  as  things  evident  to  natural  reason 
and  observation,  its  main  subject  is  the  way 
of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ,  the  Gospel 
of  the   grace   of   God  through   His   only-be- 
gotten Son.     This  is  the  one  great  theme  of 
the  Bible  and  of  the  primeval  astronomy. 

As  Christians,  we  believe  in  a  virmn-born 
Saviour.     We  confess  and  hold  that  our  Lord 


THE    SIGN   OF  VIRGO.  73 

Jesus  Christ  "  was  conceived  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary."  So  He 
was  preannounced  in  the  text,  and  so  the 
evangelists  testify  of  the  facts  concerning  Him. 
To  deny  this  is  to  deny  the  fundamental  fea- 
tures of  the  whole  Christian  system  and  to 
disable  the  whole  doctrine  of  human  salva- 
tion. It  stands  in  the  front  of  all  the  Gospel 
presentations.  It  is  the  foundation  and  be- 
ginning of  the  whole  structure  on  which  our 
redemption  hangs. 

It  is  therefore  not  a  little  striking-  that  the 
very  first  sign  which  comes  before  us  as  we 
enter  the  grand  gallery  of  the  ancient  con- 
stellations is  the  form  and  figure  of  a  virgin. 
The  initiative  sign  of  the  Zodiac  is  called  Vir- 
go, the  Virgin.  All  the  traditions,  names, 
and  mytholgies  connected  with  it  recognize 
and  emphasize  the  virginity  of  this  woman. 
Astrea*  and  Athene  of  Greek  story  identify 

*  Astrea  was  regarded  as  the  star-bright,  good,  and  just  goddess, 
the  last  to  leave  the  earth  as  the  Golden  Age  faded  out,  and  then 
took  her  place  among  the  stars.  The  four  ages  of  Gold,  Silver,  Brass, 
and  Iron  were  the  periods  of  time  in  which  the  equinoctial  point  suc- 
cessively passed  through  so  many  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  each  sign  re- 
quiring about  twenty-one  hundred  and  forty-six  years  to  pass.  If  the 
summer  solstice  was  in  Virgo  in  the  first  or  Golden  Age,  her  with- 
drawal over  that  point  as  the  equinoxes  proceeded  would  have  been 
very  slow,  and  everything  else  characteristic  of  that  age  would  have 
passed  away  before  she  passed.  The  myth  would  hence  well  fit  to 
the  astronomical  facts.  Since  passing  that  point  she  has  never  re- 
7 


74  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

with  her.  In  Hebrew  and  Syriac  she  is  Bet  ku- 
lak, the  maiden.  In  Arabic  she  is  Adarah,  the 
pure  virgin.  In  Greek  she  is  Parthenos,  the 
maid  of  virgin  pureness.  Nor  is  there  any 
authority  in  the  world  for  regarding  her  as 
anything  but  a  virgin. 

The  Virgin's  Son. 
But  the  greater  wonder  is,  that  motherhood 
attends  this  virginity,  in  the  sign  the  same  as 
in  the  text,  and  in  the  whole  teaching  of  the 
Scriptures  respecting  the  maternity  of  our 
Saviour.  Krishna,  the  divine  incarnation  of 
the  Hindoo  mythology,  was  born  of  a  virgin. 
A  hundred  years  before  Christ  an  altar  was 
found  in  Gaul  with  this  inscription:  "To  the 
virgin  who  is  to  bring  for  tk."  And  this  maid- 
en in  the  sign  is  the  holder  and  bringer  of  an 
illustrious  Seed.  In  her  hand  is  the  spica,  the 
ear  of  wheat,  the  best  of  seed,  and  that  spica 
indicated  by  the  brightest  star  in  the  whole 
constellation.  He  who  was  to  bruise  the  Ser- 
pent's head  was  to  be  peculiarly  "  the  Seed 
of  the  woman,"  involving  virgin-motherhood, 
and  hence  one  born  of  miracle,  one  begotten 
of  divine  power,  the  Son  of  God.     And  such 

turned  to  her  former  plaee,  and  cannot  until  about  twenty-6ve,  thou- 
sand years  from  the  time  she  left  it. 


THE   VIRGIN'S  SON  75 

is  the  exhibit  in  this  first  sign  of  the  zodiac. 
She  is  a  virgin,  and  yet  she  produces  and 
holds  forth  a  Seed  contemplated  as  far  great- 
er than  herself.  That  seed  of  wheat  Christ 
appropriates  as  a  symbol  of  himself.  When 
certain  Greeks  came  to  Philip  wishing  to  see 
Jesus,  He  referred  to  himself  as  the  corn,  or 
seed,  of  wheat,  which  needed  to  fall  and  die 
in  order  to  its  proper  fruitfulness  (John  1 2  : 
21-24).  Thus,  according  to  the  starry  sign, 
as  according  to  the  Gospel,  out  of  the  seed 
of  wheat,  the  good  seed  of  the  Virgin,  the 
blessed  harvest  of  salvation  comes. 

A  very  significant  figure  of  Christ,  much 
employed  by  the  prophets,  was  the  branch, 
bough,  or  sprout  of  a  plant  or  root.  Hence 
He  is  described  as  the  Rod  from  the  stem  of 
Jesse  and  the  Branch  out  of  his  roots  (Isa.  1 1  : 
1),  the  Branch  of  Righteousness,  the  Branch 
of  the  Lord,  God's  servant  the  Branch 
(Isa.  4:2;  Jer.  23  :  5  ;  Zech.  3:8;  6:12). 
And  so  this  sign  holds  forth  the  Virgin's  Seed 
as  The  Branch.  In  addition  to  the  spica  in 
one  hand,  she  bears  a  branch  in  the  other. 
The  ancient  names  of  the  stars  in  this  con- 
stellation emphasize  this  showing,  along  with 
that  of  the  Seed.  Al  Zimach,  Al  Azal,  and 
Subilon  mean  the  shoot,  the  branch,  the  ear 


7  6  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

of  wheat.  The  language  of  the  prophecies  is 
thus  identical  with  the  symbols  in  this  sign. 

It  is  a  doctrine  of  our  religion  that  without 
Christ,  and  the  redemption  wrought  by  Him, 
all  humanity  is  fallen  and  helpless  in  sin. 
There  is  none  other  name  given  among  men 
whereby  we  can  be  saved.  Even  Mary  her- 
self needed  the  mediatorial  achievements  of 
her  more  glorious  Son  to  lift  her  up  to  hope 
and  standing  before  God.  And  this,  too,  is 
here  signified.  This  woman  of  the  Zodiac 
lies  prostrate.  She  is  fallen,  and  cannot  of 
herself  stand  upright.  Christ  alone  can  lift 
up  to  spiritual  life  and  standing.  This  woman 
accordingly  holds  forth  the  goodly  Seed,  the 
illustrious  Branch,  as  the  great  embodiment 
of  her  hope  and  trust,  the  only  adequate  hope 
and  trust  of  prostrate  and  fallen  humanity. 

And  what  is  thus  vividly  signified  in  this 
constellation  is  still  further  expressed  and  de- 
fined by  the  Decans,  or  side-pieces,  which  go 
along-  with  it. 

Coma. 
Albumazer,  who  was  not  a  Christian,  says : 
"  There  arises  in  the  first  Decan,  as  the  Per- 
sians, Chaldeans,  and  Egyptians,  and  the  two 
Hermes  and  Ascalius,  teach,  a  young  ivoman, 


coma.  77 

whose  Persian  name  denotes  a  pure  virgin, 
sitting  on  a  throne,  nourishing  an  infant  boy, 
said  boy  having  a  Hebrew  name,  by  some 
nations  call  Ihesu,  with  the  signification  Ieza, 
which  in  Greek  is  called  Christ."  The  celebra- 
ted Zodiac  of  Dendera,  brought  by  the  French 
savants  to  Paris  under  the  older  Napoleon, 
contains  a  Decan  of  Virgo,  which  also  gives 
the  picture  of  a  woman  holding  an  infant, 
which  she  is  contemplating  and  admiring. 
The  woman  in  Virgo  and  the  woman  in  this 
first  Decan  of  Virgo  are  one  and  the  same ; 
and  the  infant  here  is  everywhere  identified 
with  the  Seed  and  the  Branch  there. 

It  is  said  of  the  infant  Christ  that  "  the  child 
grew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit,  filled  with 
wisdom,  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him" 
(Luke  2  :  40) ;  so  here  He  is  pictured  as  sup- 
ported and  nourished  by  what  the  Greeks 
made  the  virgin-goddess  of  wisdom,  right- 
eousness, and  all  good  arts  and  human  thrift. 

The  prophets  are  also  very  emphatic  in  de- 
scribing the  promised  Saviour  as  the  Desired 
One,  "  the  Desire  of  women,"  "  the  Desire  of 
all  nations."  So  the  name  of  this  first  Decan 
of  Virgo  is  Coma,  which  in  Hebrew  and  Ori- 
ental dialects  means  the  desired,  the  longed-for 
— the  very  word  which  Haggai  uses  where  he 


7  8  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

speaks  of  Christ  as  "  the  Desire  of  all  nations/' 
The  ancient  Egyptians  called  it  S/ies-uu,  the 
desired  son.  The  Greeks  knew  not  how  to 
translate  it,  and  hence  took  Coma  in  the  sense 
of  their  own  language,  and  called  it  hair — 
Berenice- s  Hair.  The  story  is,  that  that  prin- 
cess gave  her  hair,  the  color  of  gold,  as  a  vo- 
tive offering  for  the  safety  of  her  brother; 
which  hair  disappeared.  The  matter  was  ex- 
plained by  the  assurance  that  it  was  taken  to 
heaven  to  shine  in  the  constellation  of  Coma. 
Hence  we  have  a  bundle  of  woman's  hair  in 
the  place  of  "  the  Desire  of  all  nations." 

Shakespeare  understood  the  matter  better, 
for  he  speaks  of  the  shooting  of  an  arrow  up 
"  to  the  good  boy  in  Virgo's  lap."  Isis  and 
other  Egyptian  goddesses  figured  holding  the 
divine  Infant,  the  Coming  One,  refer  to  this 
constellation  of  Coma,  and  hence  unwittingly 
to  Christ,  born  of  a  woman  and  nurtured  on  a 
virgin-mother's  breast. 

The  next  Decan  of  Virgo  explains  more 
fully  concerning  the  Virgin's  Seed. 

The  Double  Nature. 
It  is  part  of  the  faith,  and  a  very  vital  part, 
that  the  Seed  of  the  woman  is  the  true  and 
only-begotten  Son  of  God,  true  God  and  true 


THE   DOUBLE  NATURE.  79 

man  in  one  and  the  same  person.  "  For  the 
right  faith  is,  that  we  believe  and  confess  that 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  is  God 
and  man ;  God,  of  the  substance  of  the  Father, 
begotten  before  the  worlds,  and  man,  of  the 
substance  of  His  mother,  born  in  the  world  : 
perfect  God  and  perfect  man."  It  is  a  great 
mystery,  but  so  the  Scriptures  teach,  and  so 
the  whole  orthodox  Church  believes.  In  other 
words,  we  teach  and  hold  that  Christ,  our  Sa- 
viour, possessed  a  double  nature,  "  not  by  con- 
version of  the  Godhead  into  flesh,  but  by  tak- 
ing the  manhood  into  God,"  in  the  unity  of  one 
Person,  who  accordingly  is  Immamiel,  God 
with  us,  the  Christ,  who  suffered  for  our  sal- 
vation. And  all  this  is  signified  in  the  con- 
stellation of  Centaurus. 

Very  curious  are  the  pagan  myths  concern- 
ing the  centaurs.  Fable  represents  them  as 
the  great  bull-killers.  They  are  said  to  have 
been  heaven-begotten,  born  of  the  clouds, 
sons  of  God,  but  hated  and  abhorred  by  both 
gods  and  men,  combated,  driven  to  the  moun- 
tains, and  finally  exterminated.  Their  form 
in  the  most  ancient  art  is  a  composite  of  man 
and  horse — man  from  the  head  down  to  the 
front  feet,  and  the  rest  horse.  There  was  no 
beauty  or  comeliness,  that  any  should  desire 


SO  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

them.  Some  classical  scholars  have  tried  to 
account  for  the  grotesque  conception  by  im- 
agining a  race  of  Thessalian  mountaineers  who 
rode  on  horses,  whom  the  neighboring  tribes 
viewed  with  horror,  supposing  each  horse  and 
his  rider  to  be  one  being.  The  conceit  is  with- 
out the  slighest  foundation  in  fact.  The  an- 
cient Egyptians  had  the  figure  of  the  centaur 
lone  before  the  times  of  the  Greeks. 

The  most  noted  of  the  centaurs  of  classic 
fable  is  Cheiron.  To  him  are  ascribed  great 
wisdom  and  righteousness.  "  He  was  re- 
nowned for  his  skill  in  hunting,  medicine, 
music,  gymnastics,  and  the  art  of  prophecy. 
All  the  most  distinguished  heroes  in  Grecian 
story  are,  like  Achilles,  described  as  his  pu- 
pils in  these  arts."  He  was  the  friend  of  the 
Argonauts  on  their  voyage,  and  the  friend  of 
Hercules,  though  he  died  from  one  of  the 
poisoned  arrows  of  this  divine  hero  whilst 
engaged  in  a  struggle  with  the  Erymanthean 
boar.  He  was  immortal,  but  he  voluntarily 
aoreed  to  die,  and  transferred  his  immortality 
to  Prometheus ;  whereupon  the  great  God  took 
him  up  and  placed  him  among  the  stars. 

It  is  easy  to  see  how  this  whole  idea  of  the 
centaurs,  particularly  of  Cheiron,  connects 
with  the  primeval  astronomy  and  related  tra- 


THE   DOUBLE   NATURE.  8 1 

ditions.  Strikingly  also  does  it  set  forth  the 
nature  and  earthly  career  of  the  divine  Seed 
of  the  woman,  as  narrated  in  the  Scriptures. 
Christ  had  two  natures  in  one  person  ;  and 
such  was  the  figure  of  the  centaur.  Christ 
was  a  wise,  just,  good,  and  powerful  Healer, 
Instructor,  and  Prophet ;  and  such  is  the  cha- 
racter everywhere  ascribed  to  the  chief  cen- 
taur. Christ  came  to  destroy  the  works  of 
the  Devil,  and  spent  His  energies  in  reliev- 
ing men's  ills,  combating  the  powers  of  evil, 
teaching  the  ways  of  truth  and  righteousness, 
and  driving  away  afflictions,  as  the  centaurs 
hunted  and  destroyed  the  wild  bulls  and  the 
wild  boars,  and  as  Cheiron  helped  and  taught 
the  Grecian  heroes,  minstrels,  and  sages. 
Nevertheless,  He  was  despised  and  rejected 
of  men,  hated,  persecuted,  and  deemed  unfit 
to  live,  just  as  fabled  of  the  centaurs.  Chei- 
ron was  fatally  wrounded  whilst  engaged  in 
his  good  work — wounded  by  a  poisoned  arrow 
from  heaven  not  intended  for  him.  And, 
though  immortal  in  himself,  he  chose  to  die 
from  that  wound,  that  another  might  live. 
And  so  it  was  with  Christ  in  His  conflict  with 
the  Destroyer.  And  a  vivid  picture  of  the 
same  appears  in  the  figure  of  this  constella- 
tion, which  is  also  one  of  the  very  lowest  and 

F 


S2  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

farthest  down  of  all  the  signs  belonging  to  the 
ancient  astronomy. 

Here  is  a  double-natured  beino-,  to  men 
repulsive  and  hateful,  yet  really  great,  pow- 
erful, and  beneficent,  pushing  with  his  lance 
at  the  heart  of  some  victim,  and  moving  the 
while  right  over  the  constellation  of  the  Cross. 

The  name  of  this  Decan  in  Arabic  and 
Hebrew  means  the  despised.  The  brightest 
star  in  it  the  Greeks  called  Cheiron,  a  word 
which  has  a  Hebrew  root  signifying"  the 
pierced ;  also  Pho/as,  likewise  from  a  Hebrew 
root  signifying  the  making  of  prayer,  the 
mediation.  Sir  John  Herschel  has  observed 
that  this  star  is  growing  brighter,  and  so  be- 
longs to  the  class  of  changeable  stars.  Ulu°di 
Beigh  gives  its  name  as  Tollman,  which  means 
the  heretofore  and  the  hereafter — brighter  once, 
and  to  be  brighter  again,  as  the  divine  glory 
of  Christ  was  much  hidden  during  His  earthly 
life,  in  which  He  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion, even  lower  than  the  angels,  for  the  suf- 
fering of  death,  but  was  again  glorified  with 
the  glory  which  He  had  with  the  Father  be- 
fore the  world  was.  Thus,  this  sign,  and  the 
traditions  and  names  connected  with  it,  strik- 
ingly accord  with  the  facts  of  Christ's  earthly 
life  and  fate,  and  set  forth  some  of  the  high- 


BOOTES.  8$ 

est  mysteries  of  His  Person,  character,  and 
mediatorial  work. 

Bootes. 

The  third  Decan  of  this  sign  still  further 
expresses  and  defines  the  marvellous  story. 

One  of  the  most  common,  constant,  and 
expressive  figures  under  which  Christ  is  pre- 
sented in  the  Scriptures  is  that  of  the  Ori- 
ental shepherd.  Isaiah  fore-announced  Him 
as  He  who  "  shall  feed  His  flock  like  a  shep- 
herd." Peter  describes  Him  as  the  Shepherd 
and  Bishop  of  our  souls.  He  says  of  himself, 
"  I  am  the  good  Shepherd  that  giveth  His  life 
for  the  sheep  ;"  "  I  am  the  good  Shepherd, 
and  know  my  sheep,  and  am  known  of  mine  ;" 
"  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
and  they  follow  me  ;  and  I  give  unto  them 
eternal  life ;  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand."  And  this  feature  of  what  pertains  to 
the  Virgin's  Son  is  the  particular  topic  of  this 
Decan. 

We  here  have  the  figure  of  a  strong  man, 
whom  the  Greeks  named  Bootes,  the  plough- 
man. But  he  and  the  so-called  plough  are 
set  in  opposite  directions.  Neither  does  a 
man  plough  with  uplifted  hand  in  the  attitude 


84  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

of  this  figure.  The  name  thus  transformed 
into  Greek  has  in  it  a  Hebrew  and  Oriental 
root,  Bo,  which  means  coming ;  hence,  the 
coming-  One  or  the  One  that  was  to  come. 
The  Greeks,  failing  to  hold  on  consistently  to 
their  idea  of  a  ploughman,  also  called  this 
man  Arcturus,  the  watcher,  guardian,  or  keep- 
er of  Arktos,  the  adjoining  constellation,  which 
in  all  the  more  ancient  representations  is  the 
flock,  the  sheep/old.  Bootes  is  not  a  plough- 
man at  all,  but  the  guardian  and  shepherd 
of  the  flocks  represented  by  what  are  now  or- 
dinarily called  the  Great  and  Lesser  Bears ; 
though  they  both  have  long  tails,  which  bears 
never  have.  The  brightest  star  in  the  con- 
stellation of  Bootes  is  also  called  Arcturus, 
the  guardian  or  keeper  of  Arktos,  a  word 
which  in  its  Oriental  elements  connects  with 
the  idea  of  enclosure,  the  ascending,  the 
happy,  the  going  up  upon  the  mountains. 
According  to  Ulugh  Beigh,  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians called  Bootes  Smat,  who  rules,  subdues, 
governs ;  and  sometimes  Bait,  or  Bo,  the 
coming  One.  Al  Katurops,  the  star  on  the 
right  side  or  arm  of  Bootes,  means  the  Branch, 
the  Rod,  and  is  often  connected  with  the  fig- 
ure of  a  staff,  the  shepherd's  crook,  the  tradi- 
tional emblem  of  the  pastoral  office. 


SUMMARY  ON  VIRGO.  85 

There  can,  therefore,  be  no  doubt  that  we 
have  here  not  a  Greek  ploughman,  but  the 
far  more  ancient  Oriental  shepherd^  the  keeper, 
guardian,  ruler,  and  protector  of  the  flocks  ; 
and  that  shepherd  identical  with  the  Seed  of 
the  Virgin,  the  Promised  One,  He  who  was 
to  come,  even  "  the  Desire  of  all  nations," 
"  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep "  whom 
the  God  of  peace  brought  up  again  from  the 
dead  (Heb  13  :  20).  He  also  bears  a  sickle, 
which  shows  Him  as  the  ereat  Harvester ; 
and  the  harvest  He  gathers  is  the  harvest  of 
souls,  as  where  He  directs  his  disciples  to 
pray  God  to  send  forth  laborers  into  His  har- 
vest. And  the  harvesting  of  souls  is  the 
gathering  and  keeping  of  the  Lord's  flock. 
The  sickle  and  the  crook  thus  go  together  as 
significant  of  one  and  the  same  idea,  and 
show  that  Bootes  is  not  the  keeper  of  dogs 
and  hunter  of  bears,  but  that  promised  Sa- 
viour who  was  to  come  to  gather  in  the  har- 
vest of  souls  and  "  feed  His  flock  like  a 
shepherd." 

Summary  on  Virgo. 
It  is  no  part  of  my  design  in  these  Lectures 
to  enter  upon  the  exposition  of  all  that  is  im- 
plied and  expressed  in  the  various  symbols 


86  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

applied  to  Christ,  except  so  far  as  necessary 
to  show  that  what  is  written  in  the  Scriptures 
is  likewise  written  on  the  stars.  And  in  so 
far  as  this  first  sign  and  its  Decans  are  con- 
cerned, I  think  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
result  is  very  marvellous.  Ill  must  be  the 
mind  and  dull  the  apprehension  which  cannot 
detect  identity  between  God's  sign  in  the  text 
and  this  sign  in  the  heavens.  Are  they  not 
of  a  piece  with  each  other,  and  hence  from 
one  and  the  same  divine  source  ?  Here  is  the 
woman  whose  Seed  was  to  bruise  the  Ser- 
pent's head.  Here  is  the  great  Virgin-born, 
the  divine  Child,  whose  name  is  Wonderful, 
Counsellor,  The  mighty  God,  The  everlasting 
Father,  The  Prince  of  Peace,  of  the  increase 
of  whose  government  and  peace  there  is  to 
be  no  end.  Here  is  the  prostrate  one,  de- 
ceived by  Satan  into  sin  and  condemnation, 
but  holding  hopefully  to  the  promised  Seed, 
the  most  illustrious  in  the  sphere  of  humanity, 
the  vigorous,  beautiful,  and  goodly  Branch,  as 
the  particular  joy  and  consolation  of  fallen 
man.  Here  is  the  Desire  of  all  nations,  the 
great  Coming  One,  reseating  the  fallen  who 
cherish  and  joy  in  Him.  Here  is  His  double 
nature  in  singleness  of  person,  the  "  God 
with    us"    held    forth   in    holy   prophecy,    the 


SUMMARY   ON  VIRGO.  87 

Seed  of  the  woman,  who  is  the  Son  of  God. 
Here  is  the  Rod,  the  Branch,  on  whom  was 
to  rest  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  understand- 
ing, the  Spirit  of  counsel  and  might,  the  Spirit 
of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord, 
who  should  judge  the  poor  with  righteousness 
and  reprove  with  equity,  and  smite  the  earth 
with  the  rod  of  His  mouth,  and  slay  the 
wicked  with  the  breath  of  His  lips.  Here  is 
the  God-begotten  Healer,  Teacher,  Prophet, 
the  heroic  Destroyer  of  the  destroyers,  yet 
despised  and  rejected  of  men,  stricken,  smit- 
ten, and  afflicted,  consenting  to  yield  up  his 
life  that  others  might  have  immortality,  and 
thereupon  reappearing  on  high,  clad  in  power 
and  majesty,  as  the  strong  and  everlasting 
Ruler,  Guardian,  and  Shepherd  of  his  flocks. 
These  are  among  the  most  essential  and 
most  precious  things  of  our  faith.  The  Gos- 
pel is  nothing  without  them.  Yet  this  is  but 
one  of  twelve  such  signs,  each  equally  full, 
vivid,  and  to  the  point.  God  never  does 
things  by  halves.  What  He  once  begins  He 
always  completes.  We  have  seen  the  first  of 
these  sioms.  It  bears  with  it  the  internal  as 
well  as  the  external  evidences  of  what  Mai- 
monides  says  the  ancient  Fathers  affirmed,  to 
wit:   that  it  has  come  from  the  Spirit  of  proph- 


88        THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ecy.  And  if  God  inspired  the  framing  of  these 
signs,  we  may  expect  to  find  the  rest  as  rich 
and  telling  as  this  opening  of  the  series,  each 
amplifying  the  other,  till  all  the  sublime  won- 
ders of  redemption  stand  revealed  upon  the 
sky. 

Meanwhile,  let  us  believe  and  hold  fast  to 
the  fact,  so  joyously  fore-announced  by  the 
prophet,  and  so  vividly  inscribed  upon  the 
stars  as  the  hope  and  trust  of  man,  that  a  vir- 
gin has  conceived  and  brought  forth  a  Son, 
who  verily  is  what  Eve  supposed  she  had  when 
she  embraced  her  first-born — even  "  a  man, 
the  Lord,"  Immanuel,  God  with  us.  Let  us 
rejoice  and  be  glad  that  unto  us  a  Child  is 
given,  even  that  Seed  of  the  woman  appointed 
to  bruise  the  Serpent's  head  and  be  the  ever- 
lasting Shepherd  and  Guardian  of  His  people. 
Let  us  see  in  Jesus  the  great  Healer,  Teacher, 
and  Prophet,  even  God  in  humanity,  who  was 
to  come,  and  who,  though  despised  and  re- 
jected of  men,  hated,  condemned,  and  pierced, 
still  lives  in  immortal  glory  and  power  as  the 
true  Arcturus^  to  give  repentance,  remission 
of  sins,  and  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  accept 
Him  as  their  Lord  and  Saviour.  And,  in  this 
faith  established,  let  us  be  all  the  more  quick- 
ened in  our  interest  and  attention  in  tracing 


SUMMARY   ON  VIRGO.  89 

the  whole  story  as  it  shines  upon  us  in  our 
darkness  from  God's  everlasting  stars.  Even 
the  heathen  bard,  contemplating  what  was  thus 
fore-signified,  and  deeming  the  time  of  fulfil- 
ment come,  broke  forth  in  the  sone: 

o 

"  Saturnian  times 
Roll  round  again,  and  mighty  years,  begun 
From  their  first  orb,  in  radiant  circles  run. 
The  base,  degenerate  iron  offspring  ends; 
A  golden  progeny  from  heaven  descends. 
O  chaste  Lucinda  !  speed  the  mother's  pains, 
And  haste  the  glorious  birth  !  thy  own  Apollo  reigns ! 
The  lovely  boy,  with  his  auspicious  face, 
Shall  Polio's  consulship  and  triumph  grace; 
Majestic  months  set  out  with  him  to  their  appointed  race, 
The  father  banished  virtue  shall  restore, 
And  crimes  shall  threat  the  guilty  world  no  more. 
The  son  shall  lead  the  life  of  gods,  and  be 
By  gods  and  heroes  seen,  and  gods  and  heroes  see. 
The  jarring  nations  he  in  peace  shall  bind, 
And  with  paternal  virtues  rule  mankind." 
8* 


Eecture  J^urtlj. 

THE  SUFFERING   REDEEMER. 

Rev.  5:9:  "  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou  art  worthy, 
.  .  .  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood." 

REDEMPTION,  the  price  of  redemption, 
and  the  heavenly  honor  of  Him  who 
brings  redemption,  are  the  topics  which  come 
to  view  in  this  text.  And  what  was  thus  ex- 
hibited to  the  enraptured  Apocalyptist  as  he 
stood  within  the  heavenly  portals  gazing  upon 
the  throne  of  the  thrice-holy  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, observing  the  Lamb  as  it  had  been 
slain,  and  listening  to  the  songs  of  the  ador- 
ing living-  ones  and  elders,  is  the  same  to 
which  the  second  sign  in  the  Zodiac  intro- 
duces us.  Let  us  look  at  it  with  that  devout 
reverence  which  becomes  a  subject  so  sacred, 
so  solemn,  and  so  mysterious. 

The  Sign  of  Libra. 
There  would  seem  to  be  little  or  nothing  to 
arrest  our  attention  or  to  illuminate  our  faith 
\n  a  matter  so  ordinary  and  unpoetical  as  a 


THE   SIGN   OF  LIBRA.  9 1 

pair  of  balances  for  weighing  commodities. 
A  more  homely,  secular,  and  every-day  figure 
would  be  hard  to  find,  but  a  more  expressive 
one,  or  one  more  profoundly  significant  of  the 
weightiest  truths  that  concern  the  hopes  of 
man,  would  be  still  harder  to  select  when  con- 
sidered in  the  relations  in  which  we  here  find 
this  figure.  The  arms  of  that  tilting  beam, 
with  its  attached  bowls,  reach  out  into  eter- 
nities. The  positions  of  that  beam,  which  a 
feather's  weight  may  change,  indicate  the  for- 
tunes of  worlds,  the  destinies  of  ages,  the 
estates  of  immortality.  The  equipoise  of  that 
beam  marks  the  adjustment  of  a  vast  and 
mighty  feud  and  the  effectual  bridging  over 
of  a  chasm  as  deep  as  hell. 

And  the  whole  instrument  together,  in  use, 
bespeaks  the  eternal  justice  which  presides 
over  all  the  boundless  universe.  In  the  Per- 
sian sphere  a  man  or  woman  lifts  these 
scales  in  one  hand,  and  grasps  a  lamb  with 
the  other,  the  lamb  being-  the  form  of  the  an- 
cient  weight.  Nor  can  we  be  mistaken  when 
we  here  read  the  divine  determination  of  the 
wages  of  sin  and  the  price  of  redemption. 

The  figure  of  the  Scales,  or  Balances,  is 
found  in  all  the  Eastern  and  most  ancient 
Zodiacs,  the  down  side  invariably  toward  the 


92  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

deadly  Scorpion.  In  some  instances  die  bowl 
on  the  low  side  was  held  by  the  Scorpion's 
claws,  whence,  in  some  of  the  Western  spheres, 
Chelce,  the  Claws,  occasionally  occupied  the. 
place  of  the  Scales.  Among  the  Jews  it  was 
denoted  by  the  last  letter  of  the  Hebrew  al- 
phabet, T,  or  Tan,  originally  written  as  we 
still  write  it,  and  as  written  in  nearly  all  the 
ancient  alphabets,  in  the  form  of  a  cross, 
which  signified  the  end,  the  boundary,  the 
limit,  the  completion  ;  as  the  Saviour  when 
about  to  give  up  the  ghost  on  the  cross  said, 
"  It  is  finished"  the  last  letter  in  the  history 
of  His  humiliation  having  been  reached. 

The  names  of  this  sign  indicate  the  range 
of  meaning  attaching  to  it.  In  Hebrew  it  is 
Mozanaim,  the  scales,  lueighing,  as  where  God 
is  said  to  weigdi  the  mountains  in  scales  and 
the  hills  in  a  balance.  In  Arabic,  it  is  Al  Zu- 
bena,  purchase,  redemption,  gain.  In  Coptic, 
Lambadia,  station  or  house  of  propitiation.  In 
the  Arab  tongue,  Lam  is  graciousness,  and 
badia  is  branch — the  atoning  grace  of  the 
Branch.  In  Greek  it  is  called  Zugos,  the 
cross-bar  by  which  two  oxen  or  horses  draw, 
the  yoke,  pulling  against  each  other,  thwarts 
joining  the  opposite  sides  of  a  ship,  the  cross- 
strap  of  a  sandal,  the  balance-beam  in  weigh- 


THE   SIGN  OF  LIBRA.  93 

ir.o-.  The  name  of  the  first  star  in  Libra  is 
Zuben  al  Genubi,  the  price  deficient.  Other 
names  are  :  Zuben  al  Shemali,  the  price  which 
covers;  Al  Gubi,  heaped  up  high;  Zuben 
Akrabi,  the  price  of  the  conflict. 

The  figure  in  this  sign  is  largely  associated 
with  the  ethical  impersonations  of  Astrea  and 
Athene  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  mythology, 
who  were  the  patrons  of  righteousness,  jus- 
tice, order,  government,  and  the  institutions 
and  powers  of  the  state,  by  which  rights  were 
protected,  justice  administered,  and  the  gen- 
eral good  secured.  The  same  figure  still 
connects  with  houses  where  courts  are  held, 
where  causes  are  tried,  where  accusations  and 
disputes  are  settled,  and  the  awards  of  justice 
declared  and  given. 

All  this  clearly  settles,  as  near  as  may  be, 
that  this  sign  of  the  Zodiac  has  reference  to 
some  great  divine  adjudications  and  adjust- 
ments relating  to  defaults,  defects,  and  accu- 
sations, involving  penalties,  prices,  payments. 
And  with  these  ideas  applied  to  the  continua- 
tion of  the  story  of  the  Seed  of  the  woman, 
the  divine  Son  of  the  Virgin,  promised  and 
appointed  to  lift  up  the  fallen,  recover  from 
the  Serpent's  power,  and  bring  men  to  the 
pasturages  on  the  heavenly  hillsides,  we  are 


94  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

at  once  brought  face  to  face  with  eternal  jus- 
tice weighing  the  demerits  and  awards  of  sin 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  price  of  redemption 
rendered  and  paid  for  it  on  the  other. 

The  Commercial  Idea  in  Christianity. 

There  are  some  to  whom  this  commercial 
element  in  the  system  of  our  salvation  is  very 
distasteful  and  repulsive.  The  natural  heart 
is  prone  to  be  offended  with  it,  and  to  reject 
it  altogether.  Rationalism  proudly  asserts 
that  sin  is  personal  and  intransferable  ;  that 
the  action  or  merit  of  one  cannot  be  the  ac- 
tion or  merit  of  another ;  and  that  there  can 
be  no  such  thing  as  a  vicarious  atonement,  or 
the  release  and  justification  from  the  penalties 
of  sin  by  the  substitution  of  the  work,  suffer- 
ings, or  merit  of  a  second  party.  Physically 
considered,  this  may  be  true.  The  action  of 
one  is  necessarily  the  action  of  that  one.  But 
there  are  spheres  in  which  the  action  and  force 
of  one  may  and  does  go  to  the  account,  or 
the  determination  of  the  estate,  of  another. 
It  depends  upon  the  relations  of  the  parties 
how  far  the  doings  of  the  one  may  accrue  to 
the  good  or  ill  condition  of  another.  In  the 
case  of  a  husband  and  wife,  a  father  and 
child,  a  king  and  his  subjects,  an  army  and 


COMMERCIAL    IDEA    IN  CHRISTIANITY.         g$ 

the  country  for  which  it  acts,  the  qualities  and 
activities,  good  or  ill,  on  the  one  side  most 
certainly  redound  to  the  other  side  as  well. 
Sin  is  of  the  nature  of  a  debt,  and  debt  may 
be  as  completely  discharged  by  a  friend  of 
the  debtor  as  by  the  debtor  himself.  Sin  is 
of  the  nature  of  bondage,  and  release  frori 
bondage  is  a  negotiable  matter,  and  may  be 
procured  at  a  valuation  or  price,  which  may 
be  equally  paid  by  the  bondman  himself  or 
by  some  one  else  kind  enough  to  pay  it  for 
him.  Many  crimes  and  misdemeanors  in  hu- 
man law  have  penalties  dischargeable  in  money 
consideration,  which  any  friend  of  the  crim- 
inal may  as  truly  satisfy  as  the  convicted  one, 
and  as  may  not  be  in  the  power  of  the  convict 
to  do.  Crimes  depend  on  law,  for  where 
there  is  no  law  there  is  no  transgression  ■  and 
law  is  the  will  of  government.  If  the  gov- 
ernment condemns  in  righteousness,  in  the 
same  righteousness  it  can  adjudge  and  ac- 
cept equivalent  for  the  penalty,  and  there  is 
nothing  to  say  nay  to  it.  The  notions  of  men 
cannot  bind  the  Supreme. 

Remission  of  penalty  is  likewise  something 
entirely  distinct  from  the  moral  estate  of  the 
criminal.  The  justification  or  pardon  of  the 
guilty  one  is  another  matter  from  his  sancti- 


g6  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

fication  or  personal  goodness.  The  one  is  a 
thing  of  price  ;  the  other  is  a  thing  of  power. 
The  one  may  be  procured  by  a  friend,  medi- 
ator, or  surety ;  the  other  must  be  wrought 
into  the  experiences,  affections,  and  impulses 
of  the  man  himself.  The  vicariousness  of 
redemption  relates  to  justification,  the  keep- 
ing of  the  law  satisfied  by  an  adequate  and 
accepted  consideration,  the  holding  back  of 
all  the  powers  to  hurt  or  condemn,  and  to 
these  only ;  whilst  another  administration  be- 
tween the  Redeemer  and  the  one  for  whom 
He  answers  takes  charge  of  the  inward  fitting 
of  the  absolved  for  the  enjoyment  of  his  free- 
dom and  his  training  for  the  kingdom  of  the 
redeemed.  And  if  the  just  and  righteous 
Sovereign  of  the  universe,  supreme  in  all  His 
perfections  and  rights,  is  agreed  and  content 
to  accept  a  certain  price  or  equivalent  for  re- 
leasing the  culprit  to  the  sanctifying  and  re- 
forming administration  of  his  friend  or  surety 
on  the  payment  of  the  price  to  governmental 
justice,  where  is  the  wrong,  or  what  is  there 
in  the  universe  to  question  the  rightfulness  of 
the  proceeding  ?  Let  the  Redeemer  be  found 
to  pay  the  required  ransom  and  to  fill  the 
place  of  such  an  advocate,  surety,  and  Lord, 
and  neither  men,  angels,  nor  devils  have  any 


COMMERCIAL   IDEA   IN  CHRISTIANITY.         <jj 

right  on  any  ground  to  except  to  the  proceed- 
ing if  the  great  Supreme  is  satisfied  and 
pleased,  and  says,  So  be  it. 

The  only  question  to  be  decided  is,  whether 
God  in  His  word  sets  forth  to  our  belief  that 
such  is  the  arrangement  in  fact.  We  affirm 
that  such  is  the  clear  and  unequivocal  teach- 
ing of  the  Scriptures  from  end  to  end.  In  all 
the  old  prophecies,  in  all  the  ritual  observances 
connected  with  them,  in  all  the  New-Testament 
promises,  facts,  teachings,  and  institutes,  and 
in  all  the  visions  of  the  final  consummation, — 
everywhere  we  find  the  doctrine  of  salvation 
through  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  as  our  Substi- 
tute, Surety,  and  Propitiation.  And  this  is 
precisely  what  is  signified  by  this  sign  of  Li- 
bra and  its  Decans. 

In  the  place  of  the  woman  and  her  Seed  we 
have  here  a  pair  of  balances  suspended  in  the 
sky,  in  which  is  signalled  to  us  the  inexorable 
justice  of  the  Almighty,  in  which  the  deficien- 
cy and  condemnation  on  the  part  of  man,  and 
the  all-sufficiency  of  the  ransom  paid  on  the 
part  of  his  Redeemer,  are  alike  indicated. 
One  of  the  scales  is  up,  which  says  to  univer- 
sal man,  "  Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balances, 
and  art  found  wanting."  The  name  of  the 
star  which    marks   it    records    the    verdict — 


98  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

"The  price  deficient!'  But  the  other  side  is 
borne  down,  and  with  it  the  star  named  "The 
pric?  that  covers."  Of  what  that  accepted  price 
was  to  consist  is  more  fully  told  in  the  accom- 
panying Decans. 

The  Southern  Cross. 
Strikingly  enough,  we  here  come  upon  a 
figure  stationed  in  the  darkest  section  of  the 
heavens,  in  the  very  lowest  part  of  the  sphere, 
and  outlined  by  the  stars  themselves  so  as  to 
be  readily  recognized  by  every  beholder — a 
figure  0f  the  shameful  instrument  on  which 
the  blessed  Saviour  died,  even  the  Cross. 
Our  latitude  is  too  far  to  the  northward  for 
this  constellation  to  be  visible  to  us,  but  it  is 
clear,  distinct,  and  specially  noticeable  to  those 
dwelling  near  or  south  of  the  equator.  Hum- 
boldt speaks  with  enthusiasm  of  this  cross  set 
in  stars  of  the  southern  sky.  It  was  one  of 
the  reveries  of  his  youth,  he  tells  us,  to  be  able 
to  gaze  upon  that  celestial  wonder,  and  that  it 
was  painful  to  him  to  think  of  letting  go  the 
hope  of  some  time  beholding  it.  Such  was 
his  enthusiasm  on  the  subject  that  he  says  he 
could  not  raise  his  eyes  toward  the  starry 
vault  without  thinking-  of  the  Cross  of  the 
South.     And  when  he  afterward  saw  it,  it  was 


THE   SOUTHERN  CROSS.  99 

with  deep  personal  emotion,  warmly  shared 
by  such  of  the  crew  as  had  lived  in  those 
southern  regions  ;  and  the  more  on  their  part 
because  religiously  attached,  as  Humboldt 
himself  was  not,  to  a  constellation  "  the  form 
of  which  recalls  the  sign  of  the  faith  planted 
by  their  ancestors  in  the  deserts  of  the  New 
World."  He  describes  this  Cross  as  standing 
perpendicular  at  the  moment  when  it  passes 
the  meridian.  Up  to  that  moment  it  leans 
one  way,  and  after  that  moment  it  begins  to 
lean  the  other  way.  It  is  therefore  a  most 
convenient  and  marked  timepiece,  which  the 
people  universally  observe  as  such.  "  How 
often,"  says  this  philosopher  and  traveller, 
"have,  we  heard  our  guides  exclaim  in  the 
savannas  of  Venezuela  or  in  the  desert  of 
Lima,  '  Midnight  is  past ;  the  Cross  begins  to 
bend'!" 

Formerly  this  constellation  was  visible  in 
our  latitudes  ;  but  in  the  gradual  shifting  of 
the  heavens  it  has  long  since  sunk  away  to 
the  southward.  It  was  last  seen  in  the  hori- 
zon of  Jerusalem  about  the  time  that  Christ 
was  crucified.  It  consists  of  four  bright  stars 
placed  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  and  is  by  far 
the  most  conspicuous  star-group  in  the  south- 
ern heavens.     Standing  directly  in  the  path 


IOO  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

of  the  second  Decan  of  Virgo,  the  double- 
natured  Seed  of  the  woman,  and  connecting 
with  Libra  and  the  price  of  redemption,  it 
takes  the  same  place  in  the  celestial  sym- 
bology  which  the  Cross  of  Calvary  holds  in 
the  Christian  system. 

The  Sign  of  the  Cross. 
Ever  since  Christ  Jesus  "  suffered  for  our 
sins  "  the  cross  has  been  a  sacred  and  most 
significant  emblem  to  all  Christian  believers. 
Paul  would  glory  in  nothing  but  "  in  the  cross 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  It  was  a  sacred 
symbol  long  before  Christ  was  born.  We 
find  it  in  the  most  sacred  connections,  edifices, 
feasts,  and  signs  of  the  ancient  Egyptians, 
Persians,  Assyrians,  Hindoos,  Chinese,  Kamt- 
schatkans,  Mexicans,  Peruvians,  Scandinavians, 
Gauls,  and  Celts.  The  mystic  Tau,  the  won- 
der-working caduceus,  the  invincible  arrows, 
the  holy  cakes,  all  had  their  fabled  virtues  in 
connection  with  the  form  of  the  cross  which 
they  bore.  But  that  sign  has  received  a  far 
more  definite  and  certain  consecration  by  the 
death  of  Christ  upon  it.  Its  original  ancient 
meaning  had  reference  to  the  Seed  of  the 
woman,  the  divine  Son  who  was  to  suffer  on 
it,  to  conquer  by  it,  and  to  give  eternal  life 


THE   SIGN  OF   THE   CROSS.  10 1 

through  it.  We  cannot  adequately  account 
for  it  except  as  belonging  to  the  original 
prophecy  and  revelation  concerning  Him  and 
the  price  He  was  to  pay  for  our  redemption, 
conquering  through  suffering,  and  giving  life 
through  death.  And  in  all  the  ideas  connect- 
ed with  it  by  the  ancient  peoples  we  can  read- 
ily trace  the  application  of  it,  the  same  as  in 
the  arrangement  of  the  constellations. 

Aben  Ezra  gives  its  Hebrew  name,  Adorn, 
which  means  cutting  off,  as  the  angel  told 
Daniel  of  the  cutting  off  of  the  Messiah.  And 
Christ  was  cut  off"  by  being  condemned  and 
crucified. 

In  the  Zodiac  of  Dendera  this  constellation 
is  marked  by  the  figure  of  a  lion,  with  his 
head  turned  backward,  and  his  tongue  hang- 
ing out  of  his  mouth  as  if  in  consuming  thirst. 
It  is  the  same  idea.  Christ  is  "  the  Lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah,"  and  one  of  the  few  ex- 
pressions made  by  Him  as  he  died  on  the 
cross  was  that  of  His  consuming  thirst. 
Strong  and  divine  as  He  was,  His  life  was 
there  parched  out  of  Him.  "Jesus,  knowing 
that  all  things  were  now  accomplished,  that 
the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  saith,  I  thirst; 
and  they  filled  a  sponge  with  vinegar  and  put 
it    upon    hyssop,    and    put    it   to   his    mouth. 


102  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

When,  therefore,  he  had  received  the  vinegar, 
he  said,  It  is  finished  :  and  he  bowed  his  head, 
and  gave  up  the  ghost."  The  hieroglyphic 
name  attached  means  pouring  water;  and 
David,  impersonating  the  Messiah,  exclaims, 
"  I  am  poured  out  like  water,  all  my  bones  are 
out  of  joint ;  my  heart  is  like  wax  ;  it  is  melted 
in  the  midst  of  my  bowels.  My  strength  is 
dried  up  like  a  potsherd ;  and  my  tongue 
cleaveth  to  my  jaws  ;  and  thou  hast  brought 
me  into  the  dust  of  death"  (Ps.  22  :  13-18). 
It  is  simply  wonderful  how  the  facts  in  the 
sign  correspond  with  the  showings  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  how  all  the  old  myths  embody 
the  same  showings. 

In  the  triad  of  the  three  great  Egyptian 
gods  each  holds  the  sacred  Tau>  or  the  cross, 
as  the  symbol  of  life  and  immortality ;  but 
only  the  second,  the  Son,  the  Conqueror  and 
Deliverer,  extends  the  cross,  thus  pictorially 
expressing  the  offering  of  life  and  immortal- 
ity through  the  Cross. 

In  the  divine  triad  of  Brahmanic  deities  the 
second,  the  Son,  the  One  who  became  incar- 
nate in  the  man-god  Krishna,  sits  upon  his 
throne  cross-legged,  holding  the  cross  in  his 
right  hand  ;  and  he  is  the  god  of  deliverance 
from    dangers    and    serpents.     The    same  is 


THE   SIGN  OF   THE    CROSS.  103 

otherwise  represented  as  the  ruler  of  the 
elements,  the  stiller  of  tempests,  the  good 
genius  in  all  earthly  affairs.  But  in  all  these 
relations  and  offices  he  always  wears  a  cross 
on  his  breast.  It  is  the  same  story  of  deliv- 
erance and  salvation  through  the  Cross-bear- 
er,  the  divine  Son  of  the  Virgin.  And  even 
so  "  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  Christ  should 
all  fulness  dwell,  and,  making  peace  through 
the  blood  of  His  cross,  by  Him  to  reconcile 
all  things." 

The  old  Egyptians  pictured  departed  spir- 
its as  birds  with  human  heads,  indicating  the 
laying  off  of  the  earthly  form  and  the  putting 
on  of  immortality.  But  all  such  figures  are 
represented  holding  the  a^oss,  emblematic  not 
only  of  eternal  life,  but  of  that  life  as  in,  with, 
or  through  the  Cross,  just  as  the  Gospel 
teaches. 

The  old  Mexicans,  at  certain  of  their  holy 
feasts,  made  a  cross  composed  of  the  flour  of 
maize  and  the  blood  of  a  victim  offered  in 
sacrifice,  which  they  first  worshipped,  and  final- 
ly broke  in  pieces,  distributed  the  fragments 
amono-  themselves,  and  ate  them  in  token  of 
union  and  brotherhood.  The  Egyptians  and 
others  also  had  the  sacred  cake  with  the  form 
of  a  cross  upon  it,  which  the)  ate  in  holy  wor- 


104  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ship.     It  was  but  another  form  of  the   same 
idea — life  and  salvation  through  the  Cross. 

And  in  every  aspect  in  which  the  figure  of 
this  Decan,  in  its  deeper  inward  significance, 
appears  in  the  records  and  remains  of  antiq- 
uity, it  connects  with  deliverance,  life,  and 
salvation  by  means  of  it.  Accordingly,  it 
stands  among  the  starry  symbols  of  the  an- 
cient astronomy  precisely  as  it  stands  in  our 
blessed  Christianity.  It  was  placed  there  as 
the  sign  of  what  holy  prophecy  had  declared 
should  come,  just  as  we  reverence  it  as  the 
sign  of  what  has  come  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
the  Virgin-born  Redeemer  of  the  world.  It 
is  the  Cross  of  Calvary  prefigured  on  the 
sky  in  token  of  the  price  at  which  our  re- 
demption was  to  be  bought. 

The  Victim  Slain. 
The  next  in  the  series  of  these  heavenly 
signs  gives  us  a  still  fuller  and  clearer  indica- 
tion of  the  nature  and  payment  of  that  price. 
Christ  was  not  only  "  crucified,"  but  He  was 
also  "  dead  and  buried."  Hence  we  have  in 
the  second  Decan  of  Libra  a  slain  victim, 
pierced  and  slain  with  a  dart  barbed  in  the 
form  of  the  cross — pierced  and  slain  by  Cen- 
taur himself.     "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 


THE   VICTIM  SLAIN.  105 

die  ;"  "  Without  shedding  of  blood  there  is 
no  remission."  Hence  the  doctrine  of  the 
Scriptures,  that  Christ's  life  was  made  an 
offerine  for  sin — He  who  knew  no  sin  con- 
senting  to  be  made  a  curse  for  us,  that  we 
might  be  made  righteous  through  Him.  He 
not  only  felt  the  cross,  enduring  its  agony  and 
shame,  but  He  died  upon  it — died  for  us,  that 
we  might  have  eternal  redemption  through 
His  blood. 

But  an  important  element  in  the  mysteri- 
ous transaction  was,  that  He  sacrificed  him- 
self. Men  in  their  wickedness  killed  Him, 
but  it  was  He  who  ^ave  himself  into  their 
hands  to  do  it.  Without  this  voluntariness 
and  self-command  in  the  matter  the  great 
redeeming  virtue  of  His  sacrifice  would  be 
wanting.  Hence  He  was  particular  to  say  as 
He  went  to  the  cross,  "  I  lay  down  my  life  for 
the  sheep.  .  .  .  No  man  taketh  it  from  me,  but 
I  lay  it  down  of  myself.  I  have  power  to  lay 
it  down,  and  I  have  power  to  take  it  again" 
(John  10  :  15-18).  Hence  He  is  preached  as 
the  great  High  Priest  passed  into  the  heav- 
ens, "  who  through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered 
himself  without  spot  to  God,"  having  "ap- 
peared once  in  the  end  of  the  world  to  put 
away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself"  (Heb. 


106  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

9  :  ii,  26).     This  was  partially  prefigured  by 
the  Cross   in    Centaur's   path,  but  more  par- 
ticularly in  this  Decan,  which  shows  the  death 
infliction  by  the  barbed  dart  from   His   own 
hand. 

What  this  victim  of  Centaur  is,  is  not  very 
definitely  determined.  Many  of  our  modern 
atlases  give  it  as  a  wolf,  but  with  no  ancient 
authority  for  it.  The  Greeks  and  Latins 
sometimes  called  it  the  wolf;  but  they  were 
so  much  in  doubt  that  they  more  commonly 
called  it  the  animal,  the  victim,  without  de- 
scribing it.  Ulugh  Beigh  says  it  was  an- 
ciently called  Sura,  a  sheep  or  lamb.  The 
Arabs  use  a  word  in  connection  with  it  which 
means  to  be  slain,  destroyed ;  hence  the  slain 
one,  the  victim.  It  plainly  expresses  slaying, 
sacrifice  by  death ;  and  so  would  fall  in  with 
that  saying  of  the  Apocalypse,  that  Christ  is 
"  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world." 

In  some  of  the  Coptic  and  Egyptian  rep- 
resentations this  victim  is  a  naked  youth,  a 
stripped  and  unresisting  young  man,  with  his 
finger  on  his  mouth.  This  youth  is  Hows, 
the  beloved  son  of  Osiris  and  the  virgin,  the 
One  to  come,  who  appears  in  various  rela- 
tions under  different  names,  all  more  or  less 


THE   VICTIM  SLAIN.  107 

connected  with  the  brinoqnor  0f  Hfe  anc[  bless- 
edness  through  humiliation  and  death.  In 
Phoenician  this  youth  is  called  Harpocratesy 
under  which  name  he  became  known  to  the 
Greeks  and  Romans.  Harpocrates  means  jus- 
tice, or  the  victim  of  justice,  the  vindication  of 
the  majesty  of  law.  Among  the  Romans,  Har- 
pocrates was  the  god  of  silence,  quiet  submis- 
sion, and  acquiescence.  All  of  this  connects 
with  this  Decan  as  a  sign  of  the  promised  One, 
and  prefigured  Him  as  quietly  and  meekly 
submitting  as  a  victim  and  sacrifice  to  justice 
and  the  law,  even  as  Christ  did  actually  lay 
down  His  life  and  submit  himself  as  our  pro- 
pitiation. "As  a  sheep  before  her  shearers 
is  dumb,  so  He  opened  not  His  mouth." 

In  some  of  the  pictures  of  this  youth  he  is 
represented  with  the  horn  of  a  goat  on  one 
side  of  his  head,  as  well  as  with  his  finger  on 
his  lips.  This  again  connects  him  with  sacri- 
fice— willing,  silent  sacrifice.  In  some  other 
pictures  this  horn  is  detached  and  held  in  his 
hand,  filled  with  fruits  and  flowers — the  orie- 
inal  of  the  cornucopia,  or  horn  of  plenty ;  thus 
signifying  that  all  good  to  man  comes  through 
that  meek  submission  to  stripping  and  sacri- 
fice to  satisfy  the  requirements  of  eternal 
righteousness. 


IOS  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

So,  then,  from  every  side  we  get  the  idea 
of  silent  submission  to  death  as  a  slain  vic- 
tim, and  the  bringing  in  thereby  of  a  plentiful 
and  everlasting  provision  for  all  the  wants 
of  man  ;  prefiguring  exactly  what  the  Gospel 
sets  forth  as  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ,  who, 
"  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  humbled 
himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross"  (Phil.  2  :  5-8). 

The  Turn  in  the  History. 

But  the  Cross,  and  Christ's  death  by  the 
Cross,  mark  the  limit  and  farthest  boundaries 
of  the  humiliation  for  human  redemption 
There  was  nothing  lower  than  that  in  the 
history;  and  the  first  two  Decans  of  Libra  are 
the  southernmost  constellations  but  one  in  the 
ancient  astronomy.  From  the  moment  that 
Jesus  gave  up  the  ghost  the  price  was  paid, 
the  whole  debt  was  discharged,  and  every- 
thing gave  token  of  change.  The  tide  there 
reached  its  lowest  ebb,  and  turned,  thencefor- 
ward to  flow  in  ever-augmenting  volume  from 
glory  to  glory. 

The  bones  of  the  two  thieves  were  broken, 
but  the  death  of  Jesus,  already  accomplished, 
spared  His  body  that  indignity.  A  man  high 
in  office  and  estate  moved  to  take  charge  of 


THE    TURN  IN   THE   HISTORY.  IO9 

His  remains  for    honorable  sepulture    in   an 
honorable  tomb.     Imperial  Rome  lent  its  sol- 
diers and  its  seal  to  guard  and  protect  them 
in  the  place  of  their  rest.     The  earth  and  sky 
gave  signs  of  sympathy,  and  yielded  attesta- 
tions which  drew  even  from  heathen  lips  the 
confession  of  His  divinity.     A  few  days,  and 
hell    stood    confounded   before   His   majesty, 
and   the  doors   of  the  grave   gave   way,  and 
angels  in  white  array  stood   round  the  spot 
to  welcome  His  forthcoming  in  the  powers  of 
an  endless  life.     Far  above  all  principalities 
and  powers,  and  every  name  that  is  named, 
He  ascended,  and  for  ever  sat  down  at  the 
rio-ht  hand  of  the  Father,  the  o-reat  Procurer 
and  sovereign  Giver  of  all  good  and  grace. 
He  acepted  death,  consented  to  quit  his  earth- 
ly life,  agreed  to  take  his  place  with  departed 
spirits,  "  died  for  our  sins  according  to   the 
Scriptures"    (i    Cor.    15:3);   but  thence  as- 
cended where  the  heavens  resound  with  the 
new  song,  "  Thou   art  worthy,  for  Thou  wast 
slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  Thy  blood" 
Now,  then,  "  we  see  Jesus,  who  was  made  a 
little  lower  than  the  angels  for  the  suffering 
of    death,   crowned    with    glory    and   honor" 
(Heb.   2:9).      His  shameful  Cross  issued  in 
a  Qrlorious  Throne. 


10 


ho  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

The  Northern  Crown. 
And  so  we  find  it  foreshown  in  these  starry 
pictures.  That  Southern  Cross  connects  with 
the  Northern  Crown.  The  one  is  a  Cross 
formed  of  stars,  and  the  other  is  equally  a 
Crown  formed  of  stars.  The  third  Decan  of 
Libra  is  the  Corona  Borealis,  vertical  over  Je- 
rusalem once  in  every  revolution  of  the  earth. 

"  The  golden  circlet  mounts,  and,  as  it  flies, 
Its  diamonds  twinkle  in  the  distant  skies." 

The  Greeks  say  that  this  was  the  bridal- 
gift  of  Bacchus  to  Ariadne,  the  woman  who 
through  her  love  for  Theseus  came  to  her 
death  by  the  hand  of  Artemis,  or,  according 
to  another  story,  was  so  ill  treated  in  her  af- 
fection that  she  put  an  end  to  her  own  life, 
but  was  saved  by  the  god,  who  became  so 
pleased  with  her  beauty  that  he  raised  her  to 
a  place  among  immortals,  and  gave  her  this 
crown  of  stars.  It  was  but  a  clumsy  and 
carnalized  version  of  the  story  recorded  in 
the  primeval  astronomy.  Not  a  woman,  but 
a  man,  even  the  Seed  of  the  woman,  is  the 
subject.  It  was  through  His  great  love  to 
mortals  that  He  came  to  grief,  neglect,  perse- 
cution, and  death.  That  death  was  the  di- 
vinely-exacted price  which  had  to  be  paid  in 


A   SNEER.  US 

bringing  the  object  of  His  love  out  of  the 
dark  labyrinth  of  sin  and  condemnation  ;  but 
it  was  at  the  same  time  by  His  own  free  will 
and  choice.  He  was  brought  up  again  out 
of  death  in  immortal  beauty  and  glory,  and 
through  the  good  pleasure  and  delight  of  the 
Father  was  awarded  an  imperishable  crown 
in  heaven.  And  that  heavenly  crown  had  its 
sien    in    this   beautiful   constellation.      In   its 

o 

true  original  this  story  of  Ariadne  and  her 
crown  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  great  Re- 
deemer, giving  up,  and  himself  sacrificing, 
His  life  for  the  objects  of  His  love,  raised 
from  the  dead  in  immortal  glory,  that  at  the 
name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  and 
every  tongue  confess  that  He  is  Lord,  to  the 
glory  of  God  the  Father. 

Thus,  then,  the  prophetic  sign  in  the  stars 
is  fulfilled  in  the  facts  of  the  history. 

A  Sneer. 
1  have  heard  intimated  that  this  is  all  spec- 
ulation. It  may  suit  some  to  dismiss  it  in 
that  way.  But  will  those  who  think  it  noth- 
ing but  speculation  tell  us,  then,  what  is  not 
speculation  ?  The  French  savants,  whom  many 
reverence  as  the  high  priests  of  reason  over 
against  all  credulity  and  superstition,  take  it 


112  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

as  solid  enough  to  build  on    it  an  argument 
against  Christianity  ;  why,  then,  is  it  not  solid 
enough  to  build  on  it  an  argument  for  Chris- 
tianity ?      Some  think  it  speculation  to  hold 
for  truth  that  there  is  a  personal    God ;  that 
the   Bible   contains   a   revelation   from    Him ; 
that  man  has  a   soul  to   live  beyond    death; 
that  there  is  to   be   a  future  judgment ;   that 
the  earth  is  a  globe   in   motion   ever  rolling 
around  the  sun  ;  or  that  Jesus  Christ  is   the 
appointed  and  only  Saviour  of  fallen  man  ; — 
are  we  therefore  to  put  all  these  things  from 
us    as  empty  dreams?     Believing  the  Bible, 
we    believe    that    God    from    the    beginning 
promised    a   divine  Seed    of    the    woman    to 
bruise    Satan's   head,  and    through    suffering 
and  death  to  bring  in  everlasting  redemption 
for  man  ;  that  He  has  come  as  the  Son  of  the 
virgin,  born  at  Bethlehem,  crucified  on  Cal- 
vary, buried  in  Joseph's  tomb,  resurrected  the 
third  day,  opening  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to 
all  believers.     Dare  we  for  an  instant  allow 
that  this  is  mere  speculation  ?     And  if  what 
we  read  in  the  book  of  God  is   not  specula- 
tion,  can  it  be  mere  speculation  when  we  find 
it  written  with  the  same  clearness  on  the  stars  ? 
It  is   not  above  a  child's    capacity  to   judge 
whether  the  story  thus  told  by  the  constella- 


NOT  SPECULATION.  113 

tions  answers  to  the  story  of  the  Gospel  or 
not ;  and,  seeing  the  correspondence,  are  we 
not  to  conclude  that  the  one  is  the  prophetic 
foretelling  and  anticipation  of  the  other  ?  If 
not,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  what,  in  all  the 
rounds  of  human  belief  or  unbelief,  is  not 
mere  speculation.  No,  no  ;  the  story  of  the 
Cross  of  Christ  is  true,  and  the  word  on  the 
heavens  unites  with  the  word  in  the  Book  to 
assure  us  of  the  certainty  of  our  faith. 

"  My  trust  is  in  the  Cross ;  there  lies  my  rest, 

My  fast,  my  sole  delight. 
Let  cold-mouthed  Boreas,  or  the  hot-mouthed  East, 

Blow  till  they  burst  with  spite ; 
Let  earth  and  hell  conspire  their  worst,  their  best, 

And  join  their  twisted  might ; 
Let  showers  of  thunderbolts  dart  round  and  round  me, 

And  troops  of  fiends  surround  me  : 
All  this  may  well  confront ;  all  this  shall  ne'er  confound  me." 

10*  H 


ILccture  jfifti). 

THE    TOILING  DELIVERER. 

Fs.  91  :  13:  "Thou  shalt   tread   upon   the   lion   and   adder:  the 
young  lion  and  the  dragon  shalt  Thou  trample  under  foot." 

IT  is  generally  accepted  by  the  old  inter- 
preters that  the  word  "lion"  in  this  text 
should  be  taken  as  denoting  some  venomous 
thing,  either  reptile  or  insect,  of  a  class  with 
serpents.  Bochart  thinks  it  means  "  the  black 
serpent."  Patrick  takes  the  description  as 
meaning  "serpents,  asps,  and  dragons,  with 
all  the  rest  of  those  venomous  sorts  of  crea- 
tures." The  Saviour  recurs  to  this  passage 
where  He  says,  "  I  give  you  power  to  tread 
on  serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the 
power  of  the  enemy"  (Luke  19:19).  Ac- 
cordingly, we  find  both  the  Psalmist  and  the 
Saviour  using  the  precise  imagery  of  the 
sign  of  the  Zodiac  and  its  Decans  which  we 
are  now  to  consider.  A  gigantic  scorpion, 
serpent,  and  dragon,  with  a  mighty  man  in 
conflict  with  them,  mastering  them  and  tread- 
ing them  under  foot,  is  the  figure  before  us. 

114 


FA  ULTY  EXP  LA  NA  TIONS.  1 1 5 

Some  have  attempted  to  explain  the  origin 
and  meaning  of  these  signs  of  the  Zodiac  as 
gradual  formations  for  season-marks,  of  sow- 
ing, reaping,  fishing,  hunting,  cattle-culture, 
and  the  like.  Abbe  Pluche,  in  his  History  of 
the  Heavens >  thinks  to  exhaust  the  whole  mat- 
ter after  this  manner,  though  it  is  hard  to  see 
the  need  for  such  high  and  elaborate  memo- 
rials of  what  was  otherwise  far  more  obvious 
to  the  senses.  And  although  some  of  these 
signs  apply,  and  have  been  used,  in  this  way, 
the  abbe  is  obliged  to  admit  that  the  scheme 
does  not  fit  to  Egypt,  where  many  say  these 
signs  originated ;  neither  does  it  fit  any- 
where else ;  whilst  it  leaves  all  the  Decans  of 
these  signs  wholly  unexplained.  And,  how- 
ever well  the  theory  may  here  or  there  fall 
in  with  some  of  the  signs,  it  is  much  per- 
plexed and  disabled  when  it  comes  to  such 
as  Scorpio,  since  the  scorpion  is  nowhere  a 
thing  of  game  or  cultivation,  and  has  no  par- 
ticular season.  The  best  the  abbe  can  do 
with  it  on  this  theory  is,  to  expound  it  as  a 
sign  of  autumnal  diseases,  to  tell  the  people 
when  they  were  most  likely  to  be  sick  !  Had 
the  abbe  taken  the  very  significant  hints  given 
in  some  of  his  quotations,  telling  how  these 
signs  were  explained  to  those  initiated  into 


110  THE    GOSTEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

the  more  famous  ancient  mysteries,  he  would 
have  saved  himself  such  puerilities,  and  found 
what  he  so  trifled  with  to  be  the  records  of 
truths  relating  to  the  highest  spiritual  and 
eternal  interests  of  man. 

The  Ancient  Mysteries. 
Pluche  quotes  from  Isocrates,  Epictetus,  and 
Tully  on  the  subject,  who  unequivocally  testify 
that  there  these  signs  were  explained  through- 
out in  a  manner  indicating  most  important 
truths  of  a  sort  to  give  peace  in  life  and  hope 
in  death.  "Those  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  mysteries,"  says  the  first,  "  insure  to  them- 
selves very  pleasing  hopes  against  the  hour 
of  their  death,  as  well  as  for  the  whole  course 
of  their  lives."  "  All  these  mysteries,"  adds 
Epictetus,  "  have  been  established  by  the 
ancients  to  regulate  the  life  of  men  and  to 
banish  disorders  therefrom."  Tully  says : 
"  When  these  mysteries  are  explained  and 
brought  again  to  their  trite  meaning,  we  prove 
not  to  have  learned  so  much  the  nature  of 
the  gods  [heathen  deities]  as  that  of  the 
things  themselves  or  of  the  truths  we  stand 
in  need  of.  .  .  .  The  instructions  given  there 
have  taught  men  not  only  how  to  live  in  peace 
and  gentleness,  but  how  to  die  in  the  hopes  of 


THE   SIGN  OF  SCORPIO.  117 

a  better  state  to  come!'  But  what  had  the  rais- 
ing of  good  crops,  the  production  of  calves, 
lambs,  and  goats,  and  the  timing  of  the  fish- 
ing and  hunting  seasons  to  do  with  the  hopes 
and  prospects  of  the  soul  sinking  away  from 
earth  into  the  mysterious  eternity  ?  And  if 
these  sioms  and  asterisms,  in  "  their  true  mean- 
ine,"  had  reference  to  the  soul  and  its  immor- 
tal  hopes,  and  were  so  explained  in  the  noblest 
of  the  mysteries,  it  only  shows  that  among  the 
pagans,  notwithstanding  all  their  idolatry  and 
darkness,  the  true  prophetic  light  still  feebly 
lingered  by  means  of  these  primeval  writings 
on  the  stars.  And,  with  the  rest  of  these 
comforting  and  hopeful  records  on  the  sky, 
this  sign  of  the  Scorpion  has  equal  place  and 
significance. 

The  Sign  of  Scorpio. 
The  name  of  this  sign  in  Arabic  and  Syriac 
is  Al  Akrab,  which,  as  a  name,  means  the 
scorpion,  but  also  wounding,  conflict,  war. 
David  uses  the  root  of  this  word  (Ps.  144 :  1) 
where  he  blesses  God  for  teaching  his  hands 
to  war.  In  Coptic  the  name  is  Isidis,  attack 
of  the  enemy — a  word  from  the  same  root 
which  occurs  in  Hebrew  (Ps.  17:9)  in  the 
sense   of  oppression  from    deadly   foes.     The 


Il8  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

word  scorpion  itself  is  formed  from  a  root 
which  means  to  cleave  in  conflict  or  battle,  and 
this  sign  in  the  Zodiac  is  the  house  of  Mars, 
the  god  of  war  and  justice.  The  principal 
star  in  this  sign  is  called  Antares,  wounding, 
rutting,  tearing. 

The  scorpion,  as  a  living  thing,  is  a  spider- 
like insect,  formed  something  like  a  small  lob- 
ster, with  an  extended  chain-like  tail  ending 
in  a  crooked  horny  sting  loaded  with  irritant 
poison.  To  be  struck  by  a  scorpion  is  often 
fatal,  though  not  necessarily  so  ;  but  the  pain 
from  it  is  the  intensest  that  can  be  inflicted 
on  the  human  body.  It  is  the  most  irascible 
and  malignant  insect  that  lives,  and  its  poison 
is  like  itself.  And  in  this  sign  we  have  the 
figure  of  a  mammoth  scorpion,  with  its  tail 
uplifted  in  anger  as  in  the  act  of  striking. 
The  figure,  the  names,  and  all  the  indications 
agree  in  telling  us  that  we  here  have  the  story 
of  a  most  malignant  conflict,  and  of  a  deadly 
wounding  in  that  conflict. 

The  Suffering  Saviour. 
How  clearly  and  fully  all  this  corresponds 
to  the  great  conflict  of  Christ,  and  His  dear- 
bought  victory  in  achieving  our  redemption, 
any  one  can  easily  trace.     The  text  exhibits 


THE   SUFFERING   SAVIOUR.  I IQ 

Him  as  victor  in  just  such  a  conflict.  Though 
it  refers  to  the  success  of  God's  people  in  gen- 
eral, and  their  security  under  the  shadow  of 
the  Almighty,  the  New  Testament  applies  the 
passage  to  Christ,  who  is  always  the  kernel 
of  everything  pertaining  to  the  powers  and 
triumphs  of  His  people.  What  they  get,  they 
get  in  and  through  His  going  before  them  in 
the  matter.  He  is  to  His  Church  what  the 
head  is  to  the  body — the  chief  of  the  whole 
thing,  without  which  all  the  rest  is  powerless 
and  nothing.  Therefore  we  must  understand 
the  declaration  as  including  Him  and  as  re- 
ferring pre-eminently  to  Him.  It  accordingly 
represents  Him  as  in  conflict  with  serpents, 
scorpions,  asps,  dragons,  and  all  deadly  and 
venomous  things,  just  as  in  this  sign  and  its 
Decans. 

In  the  Egyptian  Zodiac  this  sign  is  repre- 
sented by  a  monster  serpent,  Typhon,  or 
Python,  the  hundred-headed  son  of  a  malig- 
nant, envious,  and  intractable  shrew,  the  fa- 
ther of  the  many-headed  dog  of  hell,  of  the 
Lernaean  Hydra,  and  of  the  three-headed,  fire- 
breathine  Chimaera.  In  the  Hebrew  Zodiac 
this  sign  was  counted  to  Dan  ;  and  Dan  is 
described  as  "  a  serpent  by  the  way,  and  an 
adder  in  the  path."     Scorpio  certainly  ranks 


120  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 


Wl 


ith  the  Serpent,  and  stands  in  close  affinity 

ith  the  Dragon. 

The  Serpent's  seed  is  everywhere  and  al- 
ways the  enemy  of  the  woman's  Seed ;  and 
the  conflict  is  above  all  between  Christ  and 
the  Devil,  until  all  evil  is  finally  subdued  and 
crushed.  The  great  office  of  the  divine  Son 
of  the  woman,  and  his  experience  in  it,  were 
sketched  from  the  beginning,  as  the  bruising 
of  the  Serpent's  head  and  the  bruising  of  His 
heel.  No  sooner  did  Christ  come  into  the 
world  than  the  Dragon  sought  to  devour 
Him  through  Herod's  executioners.  No  soon- 
er had  He  come  up  from  the  waters  of  bap- 
tism, attested  from  the  open  heavens  as  the 
Messiah,  the  Son  of  God,  than  the  Devil 
made  attack  upon  Him.  And  as  He  came 
to  the  final  act  of  discharging  the  debt  of  a 
condemned  world,  the  most  terrible  of  all  the 
assaults  of  the  powers  of  darkness  had  to  be 
encountered. 

We  know  something  of  the  wrestling  and 
agony  which  our  Saviour  suffered  in  the  Gar- 
den of  Gethsemane.  We  know  how  sorrow- 
fuj  was  His  soul,  as  though  His  immortal  beino- 
were  about  to  be  broken  up.  We  know  how 
He  was  inwardlv  wrung-  with  anguish  until 
every  pore  issued  sweat  of  blood,  clotting  on 


THE   SERPENT.  121 

His  body  and  falling  in  great  drops  to  the 
ground.  It  was  "  the  hour  of  the  powers  of 
darkness,"  as  He  himself  explained.  It  was 
an  experience  of  agony  the  like  of  which 
never  had  been,  and  never  could  be  again. 
It  was  the  sting  and  poison  of  the  great 
Scorpion  struck  into  the  Son  of  God,  making 
all  His  glorious  nature  vibrate  as  if  in  disso- 
lution. It  was  the  prophetic  sign  of  the  Zo- 
diac fulfilled  in  the  Seed  of  the  virgin. 

The  Serpent. 

A  further  confirmation  that  we  are  on  the 
right  track  in  thus  interpreting  this  sign  is  the 
fact  that  the  first  Decan,  or  illustrative  side- 
piece,  presents  us  with  a  picture  of  the  Ser- 
pent itself  in  all  its  giant  proportions. 

It  was  the  particular  admonition  to  the 
Church  in  Philadelphia  :  "  Hold  fast  that  thou 
hast,  that  no  one  take  thy  crown."  We  have 
likewise  seen  in  the  preceding  sign  that  there 
was  held  forth  a  celestial  crown  for  Him  who 
was  to  suffer  on  the  cross.  It  was  for  the  joy 
thus  set  before  Him  that  the  Apostle  says  He 
"endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame." 
On  the  other  hand,  mythology  represents 
Python  as  aiming  to  acquire  the  sovereignty 
of  gods   and   men,  and   only  prevented   from 


122  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

gaining  it  by  the  struggle  which  ensued  be- 
tween him  and  the  greatest  of  the  Olympian 
gods.  That  myth  was  simply  the  story  of 
this  constellation,  for  here  the  Serpent  is 
stretching  after  the  celestial  Crown,  has  al- 
most reached  it,  and  is  only  kept  from  taking 
it  by  being  held  fast  by  a  manly  figure  grasp- 
ing him  firmly  with  both  hands. 

This  serpent  in  the  Decan  is,  of  course,  to 
be  construed  with  the  Scorpion  in  the  sign,  as 
the  one  is  expository  of  the  other ;  just  as 
Spica  in  Virgo  is  to  be  construed  with  the 
Infant  in  Coma.  The  conflict  in  both  cases  is 
the  same,  only  the  images  are  changed  to  give 
a  somewhat  further  impression  of  it.  In  the 
first  instance  it  is  the  Evil  One  attacking-  and 
inflicting  the  intensest  of  anguish ;  in  the 
other,  it  is  a  fierce  contest  for  the  Crown. 

I  will  not  here  discuss  the  question  whether 
it  was  a  literal  serpent  that  tempted  Eve.  I 
suppose  some  earthly  serpentine  form  in  the 
case,  but  whether  it  had  wines  or  oreans  of 

o  o 

speech  matters  not  to  the  integrity  of  the 
record  or  of  the  ideas  meant  to  be  conveyed. 
The  simple  narrative,  as  it  strikes  the  common 
mind,  is  as  clear  and  satisfactory  as  any  learn- 
ed expositions  can  make  it.  The  physical 
creature    was    not    the    real    enactor    of    the 


THE   SERPENT.  I  23 

temptation,  but  was  the  image  associated 
with  a  dark  and  subtle  intelligence  operating 
in  that  form  to  deceive  and  ruin  our  first  pa- 
rents. And  from  that,  for  ever  afterward,  the 
figure  of  a  serpent  became  the  universal  sym- 
bol and  representative  of  that  Evil  Spirit, 
hence  called  the  Dragon,  that  old  Serpent, 
the  Devil,  and  Satan,  who  is  the  arch-enemy 
of  all  good,  the  opponent  of  God  and  the 
deceiver  of  men.  And  it  is  as  the  symbol 
of  this  evil  power  that  these  serpentine  fig- 
ures appear  in   the  constellations. 

The  Bible  everywhere  assures  us  of  the 
existence  of  a  personal  Devil  and  Destroyer, 
just  as  it  everywhere  describes  a  personal 
God  and  Redeemer.  It  tells  us  plainly  whence 
he  came,  what  he  is,  what  power  he  wields, 
and  what  is  to  be  his  fate,  just  as  it  tells  whence 
Christ  is,  who  He  is,  for  what  purpose  He 
came  into  the  world,  and  what  is  to  be  the  re- 
sult of  His  marvellous  and  complex  admin- 
istrations. 

The  doctrine  of  a  Saviour  necessarily  im- 
plies the  doctrine  of  a  destroyer.  The  one  is 
the  counterpart  of  the  other,  and  belief  in  both 
is  fundamental  to  the  right  explanation  of 
things,  as  well  as  to  our  proper  safety.  Men 
may  doubt  and  question,  and  treat  the  idea 


124  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

of  a  personal  Devil  as  a  foolish  myth,  but 
their  language  nevertheless  bewrayeth  the 
unfittingness  of  their  skepticism.  The  doc- 
trine is  in  the  oldest,  worthiest,  and  divinest 
records  ever  made  for  human  enlightenment, 
and  in  the  common  belief  of  all  nations  and 
peoples  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. 
And  here  we  have  it  pictured  and  repeated 
at  every  turn  of  the  starry  configurations, 
precisely  as  we  find  it  presented  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures.  Nor  can  we  be  on  the  safe  side 
without  honestly  receiving  and  believing  it. 
People  may  make  a  jest  of  it  if  they  will,  but 
they  will  find  out  some  day  that  this  story  of 
the  Serpent  is  a  terrible  reality. 

Ophiuchus. 
Any  attentive  reader  of  the  Scriptures  will 
observe  how  constantly  the  Redeemer  of  the 
world  is  represented  in  the  attitude  and  cha- 
racter of  a  Physician,  a  Healer,  a  Mollifier  of 
wounds,  a  Deliverer  from  the  power  of  dis- 
ease and  death.  Before  He  was  born  the 
prophets  fore-announced  Him  as  "  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness "  who  should  "  arise  with 
healing  in  His  wings" — as  He  "with  whose 
stripes  we  are  healed" — as  He  who  ''healeth 
the   broken   in    heart,  and    bindeth   up    their 


OPHIUCHUS.  125 

wounds  " — as  He  who  saith,  "  O  death,  I  will 
be  thy  plagues  ;  O  grave,  I  will  be  thy  de- 
struction." So  the  record  of  Him  in  the  New 
Testament  is  that  He  "went  about  all  Galilee, 
preaching  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom,  and 
healine  all  manner  of  sickness  and  all  manner 
of  disease  among  the  people,"  and  giving 
every  demonstration  of  power  to  make  good 
His  word,  that  if  any  one  would  receive 
His  teachings  and  believe  on  Him  that  sent 
Him,  the  same  should  never  see  death,  and  be 
raised  to  life  eternal  at  the  last  day.  His  great 
complaint  against  men  ever  was,  and  is,  that 
they  come  not  unto  Him  that  they  might  have 
life.  And  this  again  is  accurately  and  most 
strikingly  presented  in  the  second  Decan  of 
Scorpio  and  the  myths  connected  with  it. 

We  have  here  the  figure  of  a  mighty  man 
wrestling  until  he  is  bald  with  a  gigantic  ser- 
pent, grasping  the  same  with  both  hands,  dis- 
abling the  monster  by  his  superior  power,  and 
effectually  holding  him  fast  so  that  he  cannot 
get  the  crown.  With  one  foot  lifted  from  the 
scorpion's  tail  as  stung  and  hurt,  he  is  in  the 
act  of  crushing  that  scorpion's  head  with  the 
other.  He  thus  appears  as  the  one  who  hath 
power  over  the  Serpent  and  over  death,  hold- 
ing, disabling,  and  destroying  them,  though 
11  * 


126  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

himself  wounded  in  His  conflict  with  them. 
Such  is  also  the  representation  of  Krishna  in 
two  sculptured  figures  in  one  of  the  oldest 
existing-  pagodas  of  Hindostan. 

In  one  of  the  old  Egyptian  spheres  the  pic- 
ture is  that  of  a  man  enthroned,  wearing  the 
head  of  an  eagle  or  a  hawk,  the  enemy  and 
slayer  of  the  serpent,  and  assigned  a  Coptic 
name  which  means  the  chief  who  cometh. 
But  the  more  common  figure  is  that  which 
appears  on  our  modern  atlases,  whom  the 
Greeks  in  their  own  language  called  Ophiu- 
c/ms,  the  Serpent-holder,  otherwise,  from  two 
Arabic  words  signifying  the  same  thing,  Che- 
leb  Afei  or  sEsculapiits,  who  figures  so  illus- 
triously in  the  mythologies  and  worships  of 
Greece  and  Rome. 

The  Great  Physician. 
This  /Esculapius  was  held  to  be  one  of  the 
worthiest  of  the  gods.  It  was  to  him  that  the 
great  Socrates  in  his  last  hours  sacrificed  a 
cock.  His  temples  were  everywhere,  and 
everywhere  frequented  and  honored.  But, 
though  regarded  as  a  god,  the  son  of  Apollo, 
or  the  Sun,  Homer  applies  epithets  to  him 
never  applied  to  a  god,  and  the  greatest  of 
his  achievements  are  mostly  ascribed  to  him 


THE    GREAT  PHYSICIAN.  \2"/ 

in  the  sphere  and  activities  of  a  man.  He 
therefore  comes  to  view  as  both  god  and 
man,  after  the  same  style  as  the  Seed  of  the 
woman  in  the  Scriptures.  He  is  assigned 
seven  children,  who  were  simply  personifica- 
tions of  his  own  qualities  and  powers,  their 
names  further  describing  him  as  the  Healer, 
the  Physician,  the  Desired  One,  the  Health- 
giver,  the  Beautifier  with  good  health,  the 
One  who  brings  cure,  the  Universal  Remedy. 
The  story  is,  that  he  not  only  cured  all  the 
sick,  but  called  the  dead  to  life  again  by  means 
of  blood  from  the  side  of  the  goddess  of  jus- 
tice and  from  the  slain  Gorgon,  and  finallv 
himself  suffered  death  from  the  lightnings  of 
heaven  because  of  the  complaints  against  him 
by  the  god  of  hell,  but  was  nevertheless  raised 
to  glory  through  the  influence  of  Apollo.  In 
all  the  representations  he  is  invariably  accom- 
panied with  the  symbol  of  the  serpent. 

Many  hypotheses  have  been  broached  to 
account  for  the  origin  of  the  story  and  illus- 
trious worship  of  y'Esculapius  ;  and  I  cannot 
but  wonder  that  no  one  has  ever  thought  of 
tracing  it  to  the  primeval  astronomy  and  to 
this  conspicuous  constellation  of  Serpentarius> 
to  which  it  most  certainly  belongs.  Taking 
these  signs,  as  I  hold  them  to  be,  the  pictorial 


128  THE    GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

records  of  the  primitive  revelation  concerning 
the  Seed  of  the  woman,  we  at  once  strike  the 
heart  of  a  complete  explanation  of  every  fea- 
ture of  the  myth,  which  at  the  same  time  very 
wonderfully  confirms  the  correctness  of  so 
accepting  these  signs.  Here  is  the  man  with 
the  serpent,  as  was  ^Esculapius.  Here  is 
the  Seed  of  the  woman,  the  Son  of  God. 
Here  is  the  Serpent-holder  and  the  Death- 
vanquisher,  hence  the  matchless  Physician  and 
Healer. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  identify  ^Esculapius 
with  Christ,  nor  do  we  say  that  ^sculapius 
was  Christ ;  but  we  do  say  that  the  constella- 
tion out  of  which  came  the  heathen  leeend 
concerning  y£sculapius  was  the  picture  and 
sign  of  the  promised  Sun  of  Righteousness, 
the  Healer  and  Saviour  of  mankind.  As 
truly  as  Spica  denotes  the  Seed  of  the  virgin, 
Serpentarius  denotes  that  same  Seed ;  and 
the  whole  story  of  /Esculapius  thus  found  its 
hero,  its  features,  and  its  names  from  the  prim- 
itive prophecies  and  promises  concerning  the 
Virgin's  Son,  as  pictured  in  this  constellation. 
Everything  characteristic  in  the  myth  was  in 
some  sense  prophetic  of  what  should  be,  and 
was,  fulfilled  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Christ  is 
the    true    Sun    of   Righteousness,    the   great 


THE   GREAT  PHYSICIAN.  I  29 

Healer,  the  heavenly  Physician,  the  Desired 
One,  the  sublime  Restorer  of  soul  and  body, 
the  Beautifier  with  health  and  salvation,  the 
Bringer  of  cure  for  suffering  and  perishing 
humanity,  the  Universal  Remedy  for  all  the 
ills  which  sin  has  wrought.  He  is  the  potent 
Holder  of  the  Serpent,  the  Vanquisher  of 
death.  He  is  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life, 
who  raiseth  up  the  dead  by  virtue  of  the 
blood  taken  from  the  virgin  in  taking  her 
nature,  and  the  blood  of  the  Gorgon  van- 
quished by  His  power.  And  He  it  was  who 
died  from  the  divine  thunderbolts  as  a  Sin- 
bearer  to  silence  the  clamors  of  perdition, 
and  yet,  on  the  plea  of  His  merit  and  divinity, 
was  raised  up  and  enthroned  in  highest  heav- 
en as  the  very  God  of  salvation. 

His  identity  with  what  the  myth  represented 
appears  also  very  strikingly  in  a  certain  an- 
cient prophetic  hymn  to  ^Esculapius,  fabled 
as  inspired  and  sung  at  the  time  of  his  birth 
— a  hymn  with  these  remarkable  lines,  which 
the  angels  might  be   supposed  to   sing  over 

the  manner  of  Bethlehem  : 
<_> 

"  Hail,  great  Physician  of  the  world  !  all  hail ! 
Hail,  mighty  Infant,  who,  in  years  to  come, 
Shall  heal  the  nations  and  defraud  the  tomb ! 
Swift  be  Thy  growth  !  Thy  triumphs  unconfined! 
Make  kingdoms  thicker  and  increase  mankind : 
I 


I30  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

Thy  daring  art  shall  animate  the  dead, 
A.nd  draw  the  thunder  on  Thy  guilty  head ; 
For  Thou  shalt  die,  but  from  the  dark  abode 
Rise  up  victorious,  and  be  twice  a  God!" 

The  whole  showing  of  the  constellation, 
and  of  the  mythic  story  connected  with  it, 
thus  wonderfully  accords  with  what  the  proph- 
ets anticipated  and  the  New  Testament  teaches 
concerning-  the  divine  Son  of  the  virgin. 

Hercules. 
And  still  more  fully  is  the  Messianic  work 
of  the  bruising  of  the  Serpent's  head  set  forth 
in  the  third  constellation  belonging  to  this 
sign.  Here  is  the  figure  of  a  mighty  man, 
down  on  one  knee,  with  his  heel  uplifted  as 
if  wounded,  having  a  great  club  in  one  hand 
and  a  fierce  three-headed  monster  held  fast 
in  the  other,  whilst  his  left  foot  is  set  directly 
on  the  head  of  the  great  Dragon.  Take  this 
figure  according  to  the  name  given  it  in  the 
Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  and  you  have  a  picture 
of  Him  who  cometh  to  bruise  the  Serpent  and 
"  destroy  the  works  of  the  Devil."  In  the 
head  of  this  figure  is  a  bright  star,  the  bright- 
est in  this  constellation,  which  bears  the  name 
of  Ras  al  Gethi,  which  means  the  Head  of 
him  'who  bruises ;  whilst  the  name  of  the  sec- 
ond star  means    The  Branch  kneeling.     The 


HERCULES.  1 3  I 

Phoenicians  worshipped  this  man  five  genera- 
tions before  the  times  of  the  Greeks,  and  hon- 
ored him  as  representing  a  saviour.  Smith 
and  Sayce  trace  the  legend  of  him  in  Chalclea 
four  thousand  vears  a^o.  On  the  atlases  he 
is  called  Hercules.  So  the  Romans  called 
him,  but  the  Greeks  called  him  Herakles, 
whom  they  worshipped  and  honored  as  the 
greatest  of  all  their  hero-gods,  principally  on 
account  of  his  twelve  great  labors. 

According  to  the  mythic  accounts,  Herakles 
or  Hercules  was  the  god-begotten  man,  to 
whose  tasks  there  was  scarce  an  end.  From 
his  cradle  to  his  death  he  was  employed  ac- 
complishing the  most  difficult  and  wonderful 
of  feats  laid  upon  him  to  perform,  and  all  in 
the  line  of  vanquishing  great  evil  powers, 
such  as  the  lion  begotten  from  Typhon,  the 
many-headed  Hydra  sprung  from  the  same 
parentage,  the  brazen -footed  and  golden- 
horned  stag,  the  Erymanthean  boar,  the  vast 
filth  of  the  Augean  stables,  the  swarms  of 
life-destroying  Stymphalian  birds,  the  mad 
bull  of  Crete  which  no  mortal  dased  look 
upon,  the  flesh-eating  mares  of  Diomedes, 
the  queen  of  the  devastating  Amazons,  the 
triple-bodied  Geryones  and  his  dog,  the  Drag- 
on which  guarded  the  apples  of  the  Hesper- 


132  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

ides,    and    the    three-headed    snaky   monstei 
which  kept  the  gates  of  hell. 

Some  have  argued  that  the  story  of  Her- 
akles  is  a  purely  Greek  invention,  but  it  cer- 
tainly dates  back  in  all  its  essential  features, 
in  Egypt,  Phoenicia,  and  India,  to  a  time  long 
anterior  to  the  Greeks.  By  their  own  con- 
fession the  Greeks  did  not  even  understand 
who  or  what  Herakles  was,  or  what  was  meant 
by  all  his  great  labors.  They  took  him  for 
the  sublimest  of  the  hero-gods,  as  the  ac- 
counts came  to  them,  and  here  and  there,  as 
in  so  many  other  things,  appropriated  all  to 
their  own  country  and  people  ;  but  Aratus, 
who  sunsr  the  song-  of  the  ancient  constella- 
tions,  and  from  whose  song  the  Apostle  Paul 
makes  a  quotation,  speaks  of  Herakles  as 

"  An  image  none  knows  certainly  to  name, 
Nor  what  he  labors  for,'' 

and,  again,  as 

"  The  inexplicable  image." 

Ptolemy  and  Manilius  refer  to  him  in  cor 
responding  terms.  They  could  not  make  out 
their  greatest  hero,  or  any  meaning  to  his 
works !  Not  with  them,  therefore,  did  the 
mythic  story  of  the  powerful  laborer  origi- 
nate.    Its  true  original  is  in  the  ancient  con- 


A    PICTURE   OF  CHRIST.  1 33 

Stella tions  of  the  primeval  astronomy,  which, 
like  the  Scriptures,  pointed  to  the  coming 
Seed  of  the  woman  to  bruise,  vanquish,  and 
destroy  the  Serpent,  and  everything  of  the 
Serpent  born  or  belonging  to  the  Serpent's 
kincrdom. 

A  Picture  of  Christ. 
Stripped  of  its  foul  heathenisms  and  ad- 
mixtures, we  can  easily  trace  throughout  the 
myth  all  the  outlines  of  the  astronomic  pic- 
ture, and  that  picture  anticipating  the  sublime 
work  of  the  Virgin's  Son,  as  depicted  by  the 
prophets  and  recorded  in  the  Gospel,  even 
the  battering  and  vanquishing  of  Satan  and 
all  the  powers  of  darkness.  Christ  is  the 
God-begotten  man.  He  it  is  that  comes 
against  the  roaring  satanic  "lion"  who  "go- 
eth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour." 
He  it  is  that  came  into  the  world  to  strike  off 
the  heads  of  the  great  Serpent,  lurking  in  the 
bogs  to  ravage  and  destroy.  He  it  is  who 
comes  forth  to  free  the  world  of  all  its  mon- 
sters and  hellish  pests,  and  purge  it  of  its 
vast  uncleanness.  He  it  is  who  had  it  laid 
upon  Him  to  fight  and  slay  the  Dragon,  and 
thus  recover  access  to  the  fruits  of  the  Tree 
of  Life,  though  having  to  bear  the  whole 
12 


134  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

weight  of  a  guilty  world  in  making  the  grand 
achievement.  And  He  it  is  who  "descended 
into  hell,"  before  whom  the  spirits  of  the  un- 
der-world cowered  ;  to  whose  power  the  king 
of  perdition  yielded  ;  and  who  grasped  the 
struggling  triple-headed  dragon-dog  in  charge 
of  the  infernal  gates,  and  bore  him  off,  "  lead- 
ing captivity  captive."  Wounded  He  was  in 
the  dreadful  encounter — wounded  in  His  heel, 
wounded  unto  death,  yet  living  still ;  suffering 
also  from  the  poisoned  garment  of  others' 
sins,  mounting  the  funeral-pyre  to  die  of  His 
own  accord  amid  fires  undue  to  Him,  and 
thence  ascending  amid  the  clouds  to  immortal 
honor  in  heaven,  with  his  foot  for  ever  on  the 
head  of  the  foe. 

The  heathen  in  their  blindness  could  not 
understand  the  story,  and  knew  not  what  to 
make  of  the  foreshowing ;  but  in  the  light  of 
God's  fuller  revelation,  and  of  the  facts  at- 
tested by  the  Gospel,  we  read  the  origin  and 
meaning  of  it  all,  and  see  how  God  has  been 
all  these  ages  proclaiming  from  the  starry  sky 
the  glories,  labors,  sufferings,  and  triumphs  of 
His  only-begotten  Son,  our  Saviour. 

There  is  no  character  in  mythology  around 
which  great  and  wondrous  incidents  crowd  so 
thickly  as  around  Herakles,  and  there  is  no 


A    PICTURE   OF  CHRIST.  135 

character  in  the  history  of  the  world  upon  whom 
so  much  of  interest  and  sublime  achievement 
centres  as  upon  Jesus  Christ,  the  true  Deliver- 
er. With  Him  was  the  wielding  of  power  un- 
known to  any  other  man.  To  kill  Him  and  to 
be  rid  of  Him  has  ever  been  the  intensest  wish 
of  all  the  Dragon  brood,  from  the  time  Herod 
sought  the  young  child's  life  even  unto  this 
present.  With  all  sorts  of  ill  and  wrong  was 
He  smitten  while  He  lived,  and  plotted  against 
in  all  the  ages  by  the  jealous,  obstinate,  and 
quarrelsome  goddess  of  false  wisdom  and 
serpentine  intrigue  against  the  will  and  word 
of  Heaven.  Even  the  sensual  and  disgusting 
loves  of  Herakles  were  but  heathen  and 
carnal  perversions  of  the  devotion  to  the 
interest  and  redemption  of  man  which  ever 
elows  in  the  Saviour's  breast  and  shines  in 
all  His  varied  works.  And  as  Herakles  and 
all  his  tremendous  labors  were  totally  inex- 
plicable on  any  motives  perceptible  to  ordi- 
nary reason,  so  is  Christ  the  everlasting  mys- 
tery, incomprehensible  and  unconstruable,  in 
His  life,  deeds,  or  institutes,  to  all  who  fail  to 
accept  and  believe  in  Him  as  verily  the  God- 
man,  come,  and  still  coming,  to  work  the 
works  given  Him  to  do,  through  suffering, 
toil,  and  sacrifice  to  deliver  an  afflicted  world 


136  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

— come,  and  still  coming,  to  beat  down  Satan 
and  spoil  all  the  principalities  and  powers  of 
evil. 

Thus,  then,  in  this  sign  and  its  constella- 
tions, and  in  the  myths  founded  on  and  asso- 
ciated with  them,  we  have  the  precise  picture 
presented  in  the  text — the  picture  of  the 
promised  Seed  of  the  woman  treading  on 
serpents,  asps,  dragons,  and  the  whole  brood 
of  venomous  powers — suffering  and  dying  in 
the  conflict,  but  in  the  end  trampling  all  ene- 
mies in  glorious  triumph  beneath  His  feet. 

We  wonder  betimes  what  is  to  come  ot 
this  unceasing  conflict  between  right  and 
wrong,  good  and  bad,  which  we  see  raging 
around  us  in  all  things  —  this  creeping  in 
everywhere  of  scorpions  and  adders  to  sting 
and  hurt — this  twining  and  hissing  of  ser- 
pents and  all  horrid  things — this  everlasting 
toil,  expenditure,  and  suffering  for  the  better, 
which  never  seems  to  come.  A  glance  at 
these  constellations  may  serve  to  tell  us,  the 
same  as  promised  in  the  Holy  Book.  There 
can  be  no  deliverance  without  it,  and  long  and 
oppressive  must  the  struggle  be.  Many  a 
serpent  must  first  be  strangled,  many  a  hy- 
dra attacked,  many  a  wild  passion  caught  and 
slain,  many  a  pang  endured,  many  a  sore  re- 


A    PICTURE    OF  CHRIST.  1 37 

verse  experienced.  But  the  cause  is  secure. 
The  victory  must  come  at  last.  God  and  truth 
and  right  and  good  must  triumph  in  the  end. 
The  Ophiuchus  who  holds  fast  will  not  lose 
his  crown.  The  scorpion  may  sting  the  heel, 
but  the  foot  will  crush  its  head.  The  faithful 
wielder  of  the  club  of  righteousness  may  be 
brought  to  his  knee,  but  he  shall  yet  lift  up 
the  instrument  of  his  power  in  glorious  suc- 
cess, strangle  Cerberus,  and  bear  off  in  triumph 
the  apples  of  gold,  whilst  the  great  Dragon 
writhes  through  all  his  length  with  his  head 
under  the  heel  of  the  Conqueror.  For  from 
of  old  it  stands  written,  "Thou  shalt  tread 
upon  the  serpent  and  adder ;  the  young  lion 
and   the   dragon   shalt   Thou   trample    under 

foot." 

12* 


SLcrture  JDtxtlj, 

THE   TRIUMPHANT   WARRIOR. 

Ps.  45  :  4,  5  :  "  And  in  Thy  majesty  ride  prosperously,  because  of 
truth  and  meekness  and  righteousness;  and  Thy  right  hand  shall 
teach  Thee  terrible  things.  Thine  arrows  are  sharp  in  the  heart  of  the 
King's  enemies." 

THESE  words  are  from  one  of  the  most 
glowing  of  the  Psalms,  in  the  writing 
of  which  David's  heart  boiled  with  goodly 
words.  It  is  marked :  "  To  the  chief  Musi- 
cian upon  Shoshannim,  for  the  sons  of  Korah 
— Maschil.  A  song  of  loves."  The  lily-in- 
strument, the  master-performer,  and  the  whole 
body  of  singers  were  called  into  requisition 
for  its  rendering.  As  a  sublime  ode  it  was 
to  be  given  with  the  sublimest  skill,  for  it  re- 
lates to  the  loveliest  of  heroes  in  the  loveli- 
est of  His  aspects,  offices,  and  relations  to 
His  people.  This  hero  is  none  other  than 
the  promised  Messiah,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
in  His  royal  majesty  and  glory  subsequent  to 
His  resurrection,  and  as  to  be  hereafter  re- 
vealed. When  on  earth  He  was  despised 
and   rejected   of  men,  but  here   He   is   cele- 

138 


THE    TRIUMPHANT  WARRIOR.  1 39 

brated  as  "  beautiful,  beautiful,  above  the  sons 
of  man,"  endowed  with  every  grace  and  in- 
vested with  all  authority  and  power.  When 
on  earth  He  was  meek  and  non-resistant,  not 
breaking  so  much  as  a  bruised  reed  ,  but  here 
He  is  contemplated  and  addressed  as  a  mount- 
ed warrior,  riding  as  a  king,  armed  with  bow 
and  arrows,  shooting  down  His  enemies.  His 
character  here  is  that  of  the  Mighty  One, 
girding  himself  with  honor  and  majesty,  and 
going  forth  to  victory.  John,  in  his  visions 
of  the  future,  beheld  "a  white  horse  ;  and  He 
that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow ;  and  He  went 
forth  conquering  and  to  conquer."  It  is  the 
same  divine  Hero,  in  the  same  character,  of- 
fices, and  work,  in  both  instances.  He  has  a 
crown,  a  throne,  and  a  cause — the  cause  of 
righteousness  over  against  injustice,  usurpa- 
tion, and  tyranny;  which  cause  He  enforces 
with  invincible  majesty.  His  former  suffer- 
ings are  now  turned  to  aromatic  perfumes 
upon  Him.  Out  of  the  ivory  palaces  He  is 
gladdened  with  the  sound  of  the  harp.  And 
in  glory  and  triumph  He  rides  forth  unto 
victory,  hailed  by  the  daughters  of  kings  and 
worshipped  by  the  queen  at  his  right  hand 
arrayed  in  the  gold  of  Ophir. 

The     picture    is     particularly    magnificent, 


14-0       THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

We  cannot  contemplate  it  without  sharing 
the  enthusiasm  with  which  the  inspired  Psalm- 
ist sketched  it.  But  the  surprising  thing  is, 
that  it  is  also  in  the  Zodiac,  and  appears  at 
full  length  in 

The  Sign  of  Sagittarius. 

In  this  sign  we  have  again  the  double-na- 
tured Seed  of  the  virgin,  the  Son  of  God  as 
the  Son  of  man.  The  figure  is  that  of  a 
mighty  warrior  with  bow  and  arrows,  riding 
prosperously.  In  all  tongues  he  is  named, 
as  in  our  charts,  the  Archer,  the  Bowman,  He 
who  sends  forth  the  arrow.  In  form  he  is  the 
Centaur >  the  Piercer — not  now,  however,  in 
connection  with  the  Cross,  far  down  toward 
the  hidden  regions,  offering  himself  as  a 
victim  and  sacrifice  to  satisfy  the  demands  of 
justice,  but  lifted  up  on  high,  stationed  on  the 
path  of  the  Sun,  himself  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness rising  in  His  majesty. 

The  Greeks  called  him  Cheiron,  the  Execu- 
te^ the  chief  centaur,  whom  they  described 
as  "  the  righteous-dealing  centaur,"  precisely 
as  this  Psalm  represents  the  Horseman  and 
Hero  of  whom  it  speaks.  Other  centaurs 
were  considered  mean  and  beneath  humanity, 
as  Christ  was  accounted  in   His  humiliation  ; 


THE   SIGN  OF  SAGITTARIUS.  HI 

but  with  Cheiron  everything  noble,  just,  re- 
fined, and  good  was  connected,  even  super- 
human intelligence,  dignity,  and  power.  The 
artists  in  picturing  him  labored  to  blend  the 
greatest  beneficence  and  goodness  with  the 
greatest  strength  and  majesty.  And  such  is 
die  description  of  the  divine  Hero  of  this 
Psalm. 

According  to  the  myths,  Cheiron  was  the 
great  teacher  of  mankind  in  heavenly  wis- 
dom, medicine,  music,  and  all  noble  and  po- 
lite arts,  and  from  whom  the  most  exalted 
heroes  and  the  most  honored  of  men  received 
their  tuition.  And  so  it  is  said  of  this  sub- 
lime King  that  every  grace  was  poured  upon 
His  lips,  and  that  He  is  the  One  specially 
blessed  of  God,  whose  name  every  genera- 
tion shall  remember,  and  whom  the  people 
shall  praise  for  ever  and  ever.  The  barbed 
arrows  of  this  Archer  are  aimed  at  the  heart 
of  the  Scorpion.     It  was  sung  of  Cheiron, 

"  'Midst  golden  stars  he  stands  refulgent  now, 
And  thrusts  the  scorpion  with  his  bended  bow." 

And  thus  the  "arrows"  of  the  divine  Hero 
of  the  text  "are  sharp  in  the  heart  of  the 
King's  enemies."  His  war  is  with  the  whole 
Serpent-brood,  and    His   going   forth    is   for 


142  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

their  destruction.  Whether  we  understand 
it  of  the  moral  and  renovating  power  of  the 
Gospel,  or  of  the  judicial  administrations  of 
the  Son  of  man  at  the  end  of  the  present 
Gospel  dispensation,  or  more  naturally  of 
both,  it  is  the  office  and  purpose  in  all  the 
doings  of  the  glorified  Christ  to  pierce  and 
wound  the  Serpent,  to  destroy  all  his  works 
and  power,  and  to  disable  him  for  ever.  And 
this  is  shown  in  the  sign,  just  as  it  is  declared 
in  the  Gospel. 

Some  of  the  names  in  the  sign  express  the 
further  idea  of  graciousness  and  delight  in 
connection  with  the  action  signified ;  which 
again  accords  with  that  saying  ascribed  to 
Christ  in  both  Testaments  :  "  Lo,  I  come :  in 
the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me. 
I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God  :  yea,  thy 
law  is  within  my  heart.  I  have  preached 
righteousness  in  the  great  congregation :  1c, 
I  have  not  refrained  my  lips." 

Swiftness  is  another  idea  included  in  these 
names ;  and  hence  of  quick  and  resistless 
power,  of  which  horses  and  horsemen  are  the 
biblical  images,  particularly  in  connection  with 
the  scenes  of  the  great  judgment  which  Christ 
is  appointed  to  enact.  And  the  coming  again 
of  Christ  is  everywhere  described   as  bein<>- 


THE   SIGN   OF  SAGITTARIUS.  1 43 

with  great  power  and  glory,  quickly,  suddenly, 
like  the  lightning's  flash.  His  own  word  is, 
"  Behold,  I  come  quickly ;  and  my  reward  is 
with  me;"  "The  great  day  of  the  Lord  hast- 
eth  greatly  ;"  "  For  when  they  shall  say,  Peace, 
peace ;  then  sudden  destruction  cometh  upon 
them." 

Cheiron  is  sometimes  represented  as  occu- 
pying Apollo's  throne;  and  so  the  word  to 
this  royal  Judge  and  invincible  Warrior  is, 
"  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever ; 
the  sceptre  of  Thy  kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre." 
In  the  Indian  sacred  books  there  is  a  tenth 
avatar  predicted,  when  Vishnu,  the  second  in 
the  divine  Triad,  is  to  come  as  a  man  on  a 
white  horse,  overthrowing  his  enemies  and 
rooting  out  all  evil  from  the  earth.  And  so, 
according  to  the  last  book  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, when  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords  comes  forth  to  the  battle  of  that  great 
day  to  overwhelm  the  Beast  and  the  false 
Prophet  and  all  their  armies,  He  comes  in 
the  form  of  a  man  sitting  upon  a  white  horse, 
in  righteousness  judging  and  making  war,  the 
same  as  in  Sagittarius. 

Thus  everything  in  and  illustrative  of  this 
sign  serves  to  identify  it  as  a  pictorial  proph- 
ecy of  our  blessed  Lord,  answering  in  all  re- 


144  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

spects  to  the  representations  given  in  the 
Scriptures.  Grotesque  and  unevangelic  as 
it  may  seem,  it  is  a  showing  upon  the  stars  of 
the  same  things,  under  the  same  images,  that 
we  find  written  concerning  the  glorified  Re- 
deemer in  whom  all  our  hopes  are  centred. 
He  is  the  sublime  Lord  and  King  of  salva- 
tion, with  the  two  natures  in  one  person,  once 
humbled  to  death  on  the  cross,  but  now  ex- 
alted to  glory  in  heaven.  He  is  the  wise,  the 
true,  the  good,  the  righteous,  who  standeth 
for  the  defence  and  administration  of  right- 
eousness against  the  Devil  and  all  the  pow 
ers  of  the  Adversary.  He  is  the  mighty 
Warrior  who  rideth  prosperously,  with  the 
bow  and  arrows  of  truth  and  judgment,  ever 
aiming  and  speeding  them  at  the  heart  of  the 
foe,  and  never  more  giving  over  until  He  has 
carried  everything  through  to  everlasting  vic- 
tory, when  Death  and  Hades,  and  all  the  pow- 
ers and  children  of  evil,  shall  have  sunk  for 
ever  to  their  deserved  perdition.  And  the 
Decans  in  this  sign  confirm  and  further  illus- 
trate what  we  thus  read  from  it. 

The  Harp. 
In  connection  with  this  shooting  of  the  Al- 
mighty's arrows  against  His   enemies,  when 


THE   LYRE    OF   ORPHEUS.  145 

His  rieht  hand  shall  find  them  out  and  His 
wrath  swallow  them  up,  so  that  their  fruit 
shall  be  destroyed  from  the  earth  and  their 
seed  from  among  the  children  of  men,  the 
twenty-first  Psalm  introduces  a  special  cele- 
bration of  God's  exalted  strength  in  the  mat- 
ter, and  represents  all  His  holy  ones  as  sing- 
ing and  praising  His  power.  So  also  in  the 
Apocalyptic  visions  of  the  destruction  of  the 
destroyers  of  the  earth,  the  four-and-twenty 
elders  in  heaven  fell  upon  their  faces  and 
worshipped  God,  saying,  "  We  give  Thee 
thanks,  O  Lord  God,  the  Almighty,  who  art 
and  who  wast,  because  Thou  hast  taken  to 
Thee  Thy  great  power,  and  hast  reigned" — 
i.  e.  entered  on  Thy  dominion.  Accordingly, 
also,  the  first  Decan  of  Sagittarius  is  the  con- 
stellation  of  Lyra,  the  Lyre,  the  Harp,  marked 
by  one  of  the  brightest  stars  in  the  northern 
heavens. 

The  Lyre  of  Orpheus. 
The  harp  is  the  oldest  of  stringed  instru 
ments  of  music.  The  ancients  ascribed  its 
invention  to  the  gods.  We  find  it  named 
along  with  the  organ,  or  shepherd's  pipe, 
three  hundred  years  before  Adam  died  (Gen. 
4:  21),  and  find  a  specimen  of  song  to   be 

13  K 


I46  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

sung  to  it  dating  back  to  the  same  period 
(Gen.  4:  23,  24).  The  most  renowned  per- 
former on  the  harp  or  lyre  in  the  classic  myths 
is  Orpheus,  often  identified  with  Apollo.  He 
is  called  the  father  of  songs  and  the  partic- 
ular helper  of  the  Argonauts,  the  noble  ones 
seeking  for  the  Golden  Fleece.  He  is  not 
mentioned  by  this  name  by  Hesiod  or  Homer, 
and  subsequent  writers  place  him  far  anterior 
to  Hesiod  and  Homer,  and  mention  all  poets 
and  singers  as  his  children  or  the  children  of 
Apollo,  to  whom  he  stands  in  close  relation. 
His  art  is  everywhere  associated  with  relig- 
ion, prayer,  prophecy,  and  all  sacred  services, 
teachings,  and  anticipations,  especially  with 
the  joyous  element  in  holy  things.  At  the 
instance  of  Apollo  and  the  Muses,  it  is  said, 
God  himself  placed  the  Harp  of  Orpheus 
amone  the  stars,  where  it  has  ever  since  been 
gladdening  the  celestial  sphere  with  bright- 
ness and  with  song. 

The  placing  of  that  harp  as  the  first  Decan 
of  Sagittarius  connects  pre-eminent  gladness, 
joy,  delight  and  praise  with  the  action  of  this 
great  Archer  with  his  bow  and  arrows.  There 
is  but  one  such  si^n  in  all  the  ancient  constel- 
lations,  and  that  is  associated  with  the  going 
forth  of  this  double-natured  Bowman  aiming 


THE   LYRE    OF  ORPHEUS.  147 

his  arrows  at  the  Scorpion's  heart.  It  marks 
him  in  this  particular  attitude  and  act  as  the 
achiever  of  what  is  the  sublimest  glory  of 
God  and  the  sublimest  joy  of  heaven. 

People  often  smile  and  jest  at  the  fabled 
power  of  the  lyre  of  Orpheus,  at  which  the 
rivers  for  the  time  forgot  to  flow,  the  wild 
beasts  lost  their  savageness,  the  trees  and 
rocks  on  Olympus  moved  from  their  places 
to  listen,  the  ship  of  the  Argonauts  glided 
smoothly  into  the  sea,  the  mountains  became 
entranced,  the  dragon  that  oruarded  the  Gold- 
en  Fleece  sank  into  sleep,  the  sufferers  in  the 
under-world  for  the  moment  lost  their  pains, 
and  all  the  potencies  of  hell  yielded  homage. 
But  when  we  connect  that  lyre  with  the  ac- 
tion of  this  glorious  Archer,  and  take  that 
action  in  its  true  prophetic  significance,  as 
the  inventors  of  these  signs  intended  them, 
these  smiles  and  jests  subside,  and  a  scene 
of  glorious  achievement  opens  to  our  view, 
which  has  been  the  burden  of  all  the  songs 
and  prayers  and  hopes  and  joyful  anticipa- 
tions of  an  enthralled  and  suffering  world 
from  the  time  that  Adam  was  driven  out  of 
Eden  up  till  then.  That  glorious  Archer,  as 
he  appears  in  this  sign,  answers  to  the  Lamb 
as  John  beheld  Him,  standing,  having  seven 


I48  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

horns  and  seven  eyes — all  the  fulness  of  re- 
gal, intellectual,  and  spiritual  power  and  al- 
mightiness — and  in  the  act  of  lifting  the  title- 
deed    of    the    alienated    inheritance    to    take 
possession  again  of  all  that  sin  has  disponed 
away.      Heaven  contemplated   that  act  with 
awe,  and  grew  breathless  as  it  gazed,  and  a 
thrill   went    through   the    universal    heart  of 
living  things.     A  new  song  broke  forth  from 
the  living-  ones  and  elders  around  the  throne 
of  Deity,  and  rolled  sublime  through  all  the 
heavenly  spheres,  till  afar  in   the   depths  of 
space  the  voices   of  angelic  myriads   took  it 
up,   and    every   creature    in    heaven,  and  on 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  upon  the  sea, 
and  all   things   in   these  realms,   were  heard 
singing,   and   saying,    "  To    Him    that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  to  the   Lamb,  be   the 
blessing,  and  the   honor,  and  the   glory,  and 
the  dominion  for  the  ages  of  the  ages  !"    And 
this  is  the  true  lyre  of  Orpheus — the  joy  and 
gladness  and  jubilation  of  the  universe  at  the 
fulfilment  of  the   burden  of  all  sacred  hope 
and    prayer    embodied    in   the  words,    "  Thy 
kingdom  come — Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it 
is  in  heaven  /"     We  thus  observe  a  depth,  a 
splendor,  a  volume,  a  pathos,  a  universality 
of    sacred  ardor    and  poetic    outpouring,    as 


THE   LYRE    OF   ORPHEUS.  1 49 

just  as  it  is  tremendous,  and  to  which  all  the 
extravagances  of  the  mythic  records  do  not 
reach  halfway. 

With  a  wonderful  appropriateness,  then, 
which  could  hardly  have  come  from  the  un- 
aided powers  of  man,  did  the  framers  of  these 
constellations  select  the  brightest  star  in  the 
northern  heavens  to  represent  this  harp,  and 
give  to  it  the  name  of  Vega,  which  signifies 
He  shall  be  exalted,  The  warrior  triumphant — 
the  very  name  from  which  our  own  word  vic- 
tory has  come — a  name  which  the  Apostle 
uses  in  its  primeval  and  true  connection 
where  he  challenges  Death  and  Hades,  tri- 
umphs  over  them,  and  cries  his  glad  thanks 
"  to  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

In  some  of  the  old  uranographies  this  con- 
stellation is  marked  by  the  figure  of  an  eagle 
or  hawk,  the  enemy  of  the  serpent,  who  darts 
forth  upon  his  prey  from  the  heavenly  heights 
with  great  suddenness  and  power;  and  this 
eagle  is  in  the  attitude  of  triumph,  much  as 
the  Mexican  eagle  is  presented  victoriously 
grasping  the  serpent  in  its  claws.  It  is  the 
same  idea,  the  triumphant  overwhelming  of 
the  enemy.  From  this  many  of  the  modern 
atlases  represent  the  figure  of  this  constella- 

13* 


ISO  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

tion  by  an  eagle  holding  the  harp,  or  a  harp 
placed  over  an  eagle,  expressing  triumphant 
song  springing  from  the  eagle — that  is,  from 
the  vanquisher  and  destroyer  of  the  serpent. 
Whatever  the  variations  of  the  figure,  the 
same  idea  is  retained,  showing  the  true  inten- 
tion  in  the  marking  of  this  constellation,  and 
the  tenacity  with  which  the  original  thought 
has  clung  to  it  in  all  ages  and  in  all  nations. 
It  is  the  sign  of  the  Serpent  ruled,  the  Enemy 
destroyed,  the  triumphant  fulfilment  of  the 
sublimest  of  hopes  and  sacred  promises. 

Ara,  the  Burning  Pyre. 
Still  further  is  this  signified  in  the  second 
Decan,  which  the  Arabs  call  Al  Mugamra, 
the  completing,  the  finishing,  the  making  of 
an  end  of  what  was  undertaken.  The  Hebrew 
uses  the  elements  of  the  same  word  where  it 
is  said,  "  The  Lord  will  perfect  that  which  con- 
cerneth  me"  (Ps.  138  :  8).  The  Greeks  call- 
ed it  Ara,  a  word  which  the  Latins  used  to 
denote  a  small  elevation  of  wood,  stone,  or 
earth  made  for  sacred  purposes,  particularly 
for  sacrifices  ;  hence  an  altar,  and  also  a  fu- 
neral-pile, whence  we  have  in  our  charts  the 
figure  of  an  altar  covered  with  burning  fire  to 
denote  this  constellation.     The  Greeks  used 


THE    UNDER-WORLD.  1  5  I 

the  word  ara  sometimes  in  the  sense  of  pray- 
er, but  more  frequently  in  the  sense  of  an  im- 
precation, a  curse,  or  the  effect  of  a  curse — 
bane,  ruin,  destruction.  Personified,  it  was 
the  name  of  the  goddess  of  revenge  and  de- 
struction. In  ^Eschylus  it  is  the  name  of  the 
actual  curse  of  CEdipus  personified.  It  con- 
nects directly  with  the  Hebrew  mar  a  and 
aram,  which  mean  a  curse,  utter  destrtiction. 

The  Under- World. 

In  the  latitudes  in  which  these  constellations 
were  originally  formed  Ara  was  on  the  low- 
est horizon  of  the  south.  The  regions  beyond 
this  were  contemplated  as  the  lower  regions, 
the  under-world,  the  regions  of  darkness, 
"  outer  darkness  ;"  just  as  the  regions  toward 
the  north  pole  are  contemplated  as  the  upper 
regions,  the  regions  of  li^ht  and  heaven.  And, 
singularly  enough,  these  ara-fires  burn  down- 
ward, toward  the  dark  and  hidden  abyss,  to- 
ward the  covered  and  invisible  south  pole. 
The  whole  significance  of  the  name  and  fig- 
ure: thus  connects  with  ultimate  perdition,  the 
completed  curse,  the  sending  into  "  the  lake 
of  fire." 

In  the  Zodiac  of  Dendera  the  figure  is  dif- 
ferent, but   the  idea  is  the  same.     There  we 


152  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

have  a  throned  human  figure  wielding  the 
flail,  the  implement  of  threshing  and  bruising, 
and  that  figure  at  the  same  time  set  over  a 
jackal,  often  identified  with  the  dragon.  Here 
is  the  unclean  and  cunning  animal  of  dark- 
ness brought  under  dominion  and  judgment, 
threshed,  bruised,  punished.  This  throned  and 
threshing  figure  has  a  name  which  signifies 
the  Coming  One,  the  same  as  in  Scorpio.  The 
meaning  of  the  sign  is  therefore  plain.  The 
idea  is,  victory  over  the  enemy,  the  thrusting 
of  him  into  the  regions  of  darkness,  the 
threshing  and  bruising  of  him  beneath  the 
feet  of  the  conqueror,  the  beating  of  him 
down  into  final  punishment. 

According  to  the  Scriptures,  the  spoiling 
of  Satan  and  his  kingdom  by  the  Virgin-born 
Son  of  God  is  to  go  on,  step  after  step,  to 
complete  overthrow  and  final  perdition.  A 
curse  was  pronounced  upon  him  at  the  be- 
ginning, fore-announcing  that  his  head  should 
be  bruised  under  the  heel  of  the  promised 
Seed  of  the  woman.  Though  a  strong  man 
aimed,  a  stronger  than  he  was  to  come  upon 
him,  take  from  him  his  armor,  and  subdue  all 
things  unto  himself,  spoiling  principalities  and 
powers,  triumphing  over  them.  Christ  tells 
us  of  "everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  Devi! 


THE    UNDER-WORLD.  153 

and  his  angels."  John,  in  his  vision  of  what 
must  shortly  come  to  pass,  heard  the  heavens 
resounding"  with  the  song,  «  Now  is  come  sal- 
vation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our 
God,  and  the  power  of  His  Christ:  for  the 
accuser  of  our  brethren  " — "  the  great  Dragon, 
that  old  Serpent" — "is  cast  down."  He  also 
saw  a  messenger  from  heaven  laying  hold  on 
the  same,  binding  him  and  casting  him  into 
the  abyss,  whence  he  was  finally  "  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,"  where  he 
"  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever 
and  ever."  Such  is  the  curse  upon  the  great 
Enemy,  and  the  finishing  of  him  as  set  forth  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  And  what  we  find  thus 
written  in  the  book  is  identical  with  what  is 
pictured  on  the  heavens  in  connection  with 
Sagittarius.  To  some  the  idea  may  seem  far- 
fetched, and  so  different  from  ordinary  think- 
ing as  to  be  almost  absurd  ;  but  let  them  look 
at  the  facts  as  they  are,  and  tell  us  what  other 
conclusion  is  possible.  What  could  be  more 
complete  than  the  correspondence  of  the  two 
records  ? 

The  third  constellation  belonging  to  the 
sign  of  the  Bowman  is  also  very  significant 
and  further  determines  the  meaning-  to  be  as 
just  expressed. 


154  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

The  Dragon. 
One  of  the  most  famous  mythological  cre- 
ations in  the  history  of  human  thought  is  the 
horrid  serpentine  monster  called  the  dragon. 
Together  with  the  serpent,  and  other  things 
of  the  same  repulsive  and  dangerous  class, 
this  is  the  universal  symbol  of  evil — of  some 
living  power  inimical  to  God  and  all  good, 
and  the  just  terror  of  all  men.  The  Serpent 
stands  for  that  form  of  the  Evil  One  in  which 
cunning,  artifice,  deceit,  and  malignant  sub- 
tlety are  the  characteristics.  The  Dragon 
represents  the  same  power  armed,  defiant, 
and  putting  forth  in  imperial  forms,  and  de- 
vastating by  force.  The  Serpent  is  the  sly 
and  creeping  deceiver,  smoothly  gliding  in  to 
betray,  insinuating  his  poison  and  destroy- 
ing by  stealth.  The  Dragon  is  the  terrific 
oppressor,  assailing  with  teeth  and  claws, 
armed  all  over  with  spikes,  lifting  speary 
wings  and  tail,  spouting  fire  and  fury,  and 
rushing  upon  its  prey  with  every  vehemence 
of  malignant  energy.  The  Serpent  and  the 
Dragon  are  one  and  the  same,  only  in  differ- 
ent modes  of  manifestation.  Hence  the  Dev- 
il is  called  "  the  Dragon,  that  old  Serpent." 
Whenever  the  power  of  evil  is  clothed  in  po- 


THE   DRAGON.  155 

litical  sovereignty,  persecuting,  tyrannizing, 
and  oppressing,  it  is  always  the  Dragon,  or 
some  rampant  figure  of  destruction  answer- 
ing to  it. 

Amonor  all  nations  we  find  this  terrible  im- 
age.  Chinese  and  Japanese  legend  and  art 
superabound  with  it.  The  pages  of  the  clas- 
sic poets  of  Greece  and  Rome  teem  with  it 
We  find  it  in  the  religious  books,  traditions, 
and  ideas  of  men  of  all  classes,  in  all  sections 
of  the  world,  in  all  the  ages.  It  is  in  the  Old 
Testament,  in  the  Apocrypha,  and  in  the  New 
Testament.  Jews  and  Gentiles,  Christians 
and  heathen,  civilized  and  savage,  the  Teu- 
tons, Scandinavians,  and  Celts  of  Europe,  as 
well  as  the  myriads  of  Asia  and  the  remotest 
isles  of  the  sea,  alike  have  it,  and  connect 
with  it  the  same  family  of  ideas.  And  every- 
where the  vanquishing  of  this  monster  is  the 
work  of  gods,  heroes,  and  saints. 

Many  have  wondered  and  speculated  as  to 
how  such  an  imaeination  obtained  this  uni- 
versal  hold  of  the  human  mind.  There  is 
nothing  in  earthly  zoology  to  serve  as  the 
original  for  the  picture,  or  to  account  for  con- 
ceptions and  ideas  so  uniform  all  the  world 
over.  No  man  ever  saw  a  dragon,  living  or 
dead,  yet  all  men  talk  of  the  dragon,  and  adopt 


1 56  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

it  into  all  their  religion,  heraldry,  and  art  as 
the  symbol  of  some  well-known  reality.  Where 
did  it  come  from  ?  Admit  the  doctrine  which 
lam  endeavoring  to  elucidate  respecting  these 
primeval  constellations,  and  the  whole  thing 
is  at  once  and  completely  explained  as  noth- 
ing else  can  explain  it.  Here  is  the  Serpent 
in  all  forms  of  manifestation,  and  particu- 
larly the  Dragon,  wound  about  at  least  one- 
half  of  the  northern  sky,  his  tail  alone  ex- 
tending over  the  territory  of  "  the  third  part 
of  the  stars."  Here  is  the  divine  Hero, 
armed  with  bow  and  arrows,  riding  like  St. 
George,  and  aiming  his  weapons  at  the  heart 
of  that  Dragon's  representative.  Here  is 
this  precise  symbol  of  the  evil  power  in  all 
his  various  shapes  and  attributes,  and  the 
great  Son  of  the  virgin  revealed  for  his  de- 
struction, and  going  forth  in  His  benevolent 
majesty  to  make  an  utter  end  of  the  terrible 
beast.  In  all  the  acres  has  this  imacre  been 
before  the  eyes  of  men  in  the  primeval  as- 
tronomy, pictorially  portraying  in  the  stars 
the  very  ideas  that  figure  so  conspicuously  in 
their  myths  and  traditions.  And  this,  and 
this  only,  is  the  true  original  of  all  these 
ethnic  conceptions — the  true  original  by  in- 
spiration  given. 


THE   DRAGON.  1 57 

And  as  Sagittarius  goes  forth  in  war  against 
the  enemy  to  complete  upon  him  the  curse, 
to  make  all  clear  and  unmistakable  the  great 
constellation  of  the  Dragon  is  added  as  a 
third  explanatory  side-piece,  denoting  exactly 
who  it  is  that  this  mighty  administration  strikes, 
thus  waking  all  the  triumphant  songs  of  heav- 
en. It  is  the  final  fall  of  the  Dragon-power 
before  the  arrows  of  the  invincible  warrior- 
Seed  of  the  woman.  It  is  the  ultimate  victory 
fore-announced. 

In  the  Apocalyptic  visions  of  the  consum- 
mation John  beheld  a  great  red  Dragon,  hav- 
ing seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  upon  his  head 
seven  diadems,  whose  tail  was  drawing  along 
the  third  of  the  stars  of  the  heaven.  He 
stood  before  the  woman  eager  to  devour  her 
child  as  soon  as  born  ;  but  in  spite  of  him 
that  child  was  caught  away  to  God  and  to  His 
throne.  And  then  came  war  in  heaven  :  Mi- 
chael and  his  angels  warring  with  the  Dragon, 
who  was  cast  down,  and  all  his  angels  with 
him.  And  then  it  was  that  the  great  voice 
of  song  was  heard  in  heaven,  because  the 
Accuser,  the  great  Adversary,  was  conquered 
and  cast  down.  For  a  while  his  persecutions 
continued  upon  the  earth,  till  the  crowned 
Warrior  on  the  white  horse  came,  destroying 

14 


158  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

his  armies,  chaining  him  in  the  abyss  for  a 
thousand  years,  and  then  consigning  him  and 
all  his  to  the  lake  of  fire,  whence  the  smoke 
of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and 
ever  (Rev.  12  :  19,  20). 

Thus  also  the  Psalmist  sings  :  "  God  is  my 
King  of  old,  working  salvation  in  the  midst 
of  the  earth,  breaking  the  heads  of  the  drag- 
ons in  the  waters,  breaking  the  heads  of  Le- 
viathan in  pieces"  (Ps.  74). 

Isaiah  refers  exultingly  to  the  time  when 
the  Lord  cometh  forth  out  of  His  place  to 
punish  the  workers  of  iniquity,  and  says  :  "  In 
that  day  the  Lord  with  His  sore  and  great  and 
strong  sword  shall  punish  Leviathan  the  cross- 
ing serpent,  even  Leviathan  that  crooked  ser- 
pent; and  He  shall  slay  the  Dragon;"  and 
calls  upon  all  the  people  of  God  to  sing  when 
that  day  arrives  (Isa.  26  :  27). 

And  when  we  lay  these  foreshowings  of 
the  holy  prophets  alongside  of  these  pictures 
in  the  stars,  who  can  question  that  we  have 
one  and  the  same  story  in  both  ?  In  both  we 
behold  the  same  Dragon,  the  same  worming 
of  himself  into  the  domain  of  God,  the  same 
spoliation  of  peace  and  good  by  his  malignant 
power,  and  the  same  vastness  and  stretch  of 
his  evil  influences  and  dominion.     In  both  we 


THE   DRAGON.  1 59 

have  the  same  divine  Hero,  arrayed  as  an 
invincible  warrior,  going  forth  in  conquer- 
ing majesty  against  the  Dragon,  wounding 
him  with  His  arrows,  cleaving  him  with  His 
sword,  bruising  and  crushing  him  for  his 
wickedness,  annihilating  his  power,  and  con- 
signing^ him  to  his  deserved  and  everlastine 
perdition.  The  names,  the  actions,  the  im- 
plements, the  results,  and  the  common  joy 
of  the  holy  universe  over  the  achievement, 
are  one  and  the  same  in  the  constellations,  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  in  the  myths.  Nor  could 
all  this  possibly  have  been  except  from  one 
original  source,  even  the  sacred  promise  and 
foreshowing  of  God,  variously  certified,  and 
ever  again  repeated  through  His  prophets, 
even  from  the  foundations  of  the  world. 

The  name  of  this  great  constellation  is 
Draco,  the  Dragon,  the  trodden-on.  The 
chief  star  has  several  ancient  names,  such 
as  Al  Waid,  who  is  to  be  destroyed  ;  Thuban, 
the  subtle  ;  Al  Did,  the  reptile.  This  was  the 
pole-star  from  four  to  six  thousand  years  ago, 
singularly  answering  to  the  scriptural  desig- 
nation of  Satan  as  the  god  and  prince  of  this 
world.  To  this  day  this  star  is  still  observed 
as  a  very  important  star  to  nautical  men  and 
the  direction  of  commerce  upon  the  seas,  just 


l6o  THE   GOSPEL    IN  THE   STARS. 

as  the  Dragon  power  still  largely  prevails, 
The  second  star  in  this  constellation  is  Rasta- 
ban,  head  of  the  subtle ;  the  third,  Etanin,  the 
long  serpent,  the  Dragon  ;  another,  Grumian, 
the  deceiver  ;  another,  El  Atkik,  the  fraudful ; 
another,  El  Asieh,  the  humbled,  brought  down ; 
another,  Gianser,  the  punished  enemy.  Roots 
corresponding  to  all  these  words  are  contain- 
ed in  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  where  they  are 
used  in  the  senses  here  given. 

What  shall  we  say,  then,  to  these  things  ? 
Mythology  says  the  Dragon  is  the  power  that 
guarded  the  golden  apples  in  the  famous 
Garden  of  the  Hesperides,  hindering  men 
from  getting  them.  Is  not  this  the  Devil,  the 
old  Serpent,  the  Dragon,  who  has  thrust  him- 
self in  to  keep  mortal  men  from  the  fruits  of 
the  Tree  of  Life  ?  Mythology  says  this  Drag- 
on was  slain  by  Hercules.  And  is  not  Her- 
cules the  astronomic  sign  of  the  promised 
Seed  of  the  woman,  the  One  to  come  as  the 
Serpent-bruiser,  and  who  stands  pictured  in 
his  constellation  with  His  foot  on  the  head  of 
the  Dragon?  Other  myths  represent  the 
Dragon  as  guarding  the  sacred  well,  and 
slaying  those  who  came  to  draw  from  it,  but 
was  slain  by  the  arrows  of  Cadmus,  who  had 
to  suffer  for  it,  indeed,  but  by  Minerva's  aid 


CADMUS.  l6l 

freed  the  way  to  the  well,  and  built  there  a 
noble  city.  But  is  not  Cadmus  the  hero  sent 
to  seek  his  sister  who  was  lost,  and  the  same 
who  was  offered  as  the  giver  of  victory  to  the 
people  who  should  accept  him  as  their  com- 
mander ;  just  as  Christ  is  come  to  seek  and 
to  save  that  which  was  lost,  through  suffering 
and  divinity  vanquishing  Satan,  opening  access 
to  the  sacred  well  of  the  waters  of  life,  build- 
ing: about  it  the  Zion  of  His  Church,  and  con- 
ductinor  those  who  take  Him  as  their  Lord  and 
King  to  the  blessedness  of  triumph  and  ever- 
lasting peace  ?  Ay,  verily,  these  signs  in  the 
constellations  are  but  another  version  of  what 
was  written  by  the  prophets  and  set  forth  in 
the  Scriptures  as  the  true  and  only  hope  of 
man. 

"  Most  wondrous  Book !     The  Author  God  himself; 
The  subject,  God  and  man,  salvation,  life 
And  death — eternal  life,  eternal  death. 

.   .  .  On  every  line 
Marked  with  the  seal  of  high  divinity, 
On  every  leaf  bedewed  with  drops  of  love 
Divine,  and  with  the  eternal  heraldry 
And  signature  of  God  Almighty  stamped 
From  first  to  last." 
14  •  L 


ILecture  JDCbnitlj. 

DEATH  AND  NEW  LIFE. 

John  12  :  24:  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Except  a  corn  oi 
wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone  :  but  if  it  die,  it 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit." 

IN  connection  with  these  words  I  continue 
the  study  of  that  evangelic  record  which 
we  find  written  on  the  stars  in  the  ancient 
astronomy. 

As  far  as  we  have  gone  in  these  investiga- 
tions, four  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  with  their  ac- 
companying Decans,  have  been  discussed — 
Virgo,  Libra,  Scorpio,  and  Sagittarius.  Eight 
more  of  these  signs  accordingly  remain  to  be 
considered;  and  to  these,  in  their  order,  I 
propose  that  we  now  direct  our  attention. 

Order  of  the  Signs, 
Perhaps  this  is  as  good  a  place  as  any  that 
may  offer  to  remark  the  fact  that  these  twelve 
siens  of  the  Solar  Zodiac  divide  themselves 
into  three  distinct  groups,  each  group  having 
its    own    distinct    subject.      The    first   group, 

162 


THE   SIGN   OE  CAPR1C0RXUS.  1 63 

consisting  of  the  four  si<*ns  which  have  al- 
ready  been  before  us,  relates  to  the  Person. 
Work,  and  Triumph  of  the  illustrious  Re- 
deemer, with  special  reference  to  himself. 
The  next  succeeding  group,  consisting  of 
Capricornus,  Aquarius,  Pisces,  and  Aries,  with 
their  several  Decans,  relates  to  the  Fruits  of 
His  Work  and  Mediatorship — the  formation, 
condition,  and  destiny  of  the  Church,  or  that 
body  of  people  spiritually  born  to  Him  through 
faith,  and  made  partakers  of  the  benefits  of 
His  redemptive  administrations ;  whilst  the 
third  and  last  group  relates  to  the  final  Con- 
summation of  the  whole  in  the  united  glory 
of  the  Redeemer  and  the  redeemed,  and  the 
exalted  condition  of  things  which  the  Con- 
summation is  to  realize.  All  this  will  be  more 
clearly  brought  out  as  we  proceed.  At  pres- 
ent we  make  our  entrance  upon  the  second 
or  middle  group. 

The  Sign  of  Capricornus. 

Here  we  have  the  picture  of  a  fallen  goat 
with  the  vigorous  tail  of  a  fish — half  goat  and 
half  fish. 

It  may  seem  singular  and  far-fetched  to 
connect  the  text  I  have  read  with  such  a  figure. 
A  little  consideration,  however,  will  show  that 


164  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

the  subject-matter  in  both  is  in  fact  identical, 
though  the  particular  imagery  is  entirely  dif- 
ferent. That  of  the  text  is  the  image  which 
we  had  in  Virgo,  where  the  illustrious  Son 
of  the  virgin  is  likened  to  a  grain  of  corn  or 
seed,  denoted  by  Spica,  the  ear  of  wheat.  It 
was  necessary  for  this  seed  or  grain  of  wheat 
to  fall  into  the  ground  and  die  in  order  to 
reach  its  intended  fruitfulness,  which  fruitful- 
ness  arises  directly  out  of  such  falling  and 
dying.  The  meaning  of  the  passage  is,  that 
Christ  was  to  die  as  a  sacrifice,  and  that  by 
virtue  of  His  sacrificial  death  salvation  was  to 
come  to  man  and  the  congregation  of  saved 
ones  formed.  As  Wordsworth  expresses  it, 
"  He  compares  himself  to  a  grain  of  corn, 
which  would  be  buried  by  the  unbelief  of  the 
Jews,  but  would  fructify  in  the  faith  of  the 
Gentiles.  As  much  as  to  say,  I  will  die,  that 
they  may  live.  My  death  will  be  their  birth!' 
As  the  phcenix  was  said  to  arise  out  of  the 
ashes  of  its  consumed  predecessor,  so  the 
Church,  or  congregation  of  saints,  rises  out 
of  the  death  of  Christ,  sacrificed  for  the  sins 
of  the  world.  This  is  everywhere  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Scriptures,  and  nowhere  more 
pointedly  and  graphically  than  in  this  text. 
And  when  we  translate  this  idea  into  the  im- 


TYPE   AND  ANTITYPE.  1 65 

agery  of  the  fifth  sign  of  the  Zodiac,  we  find 
another  very  graphic  and  much  older  picture 
of  precisely  the  same  thing. 

Type  and  Antitype. 

First  of  all,  we  have  here  the  figure  of  a  goat. 
This  is  a  sacrificial  animal.  God  commanded 
the  children  of  Israel,  saying,  "  Take  ye  a  kid 
of  the  goats  for  a  sin-offering"  (Lev.  9  :  31). 
So  Aaron  "  took  the  goat,  which  was  the  sin- 
offering  for  the  people,  and  slew  it,  and  of- 
fered it  for  sin"  (Lev.  9:  15).  And  of  the 
goat  of  the  sin-offering  Moses  said,  "It  is 
most  holy,  and  God  hath  given  it  you  to  bear 
the  iniquity  of  the  congregation,  to  make 
atonement  for  them  before  the  Lord"  (Lev. 
10  :  16,  17). 

In  the  next  place,  this  goat  is  fallen  down 
in  the  attitude  of  dying.  His  one  leg  is 
doubled  under  his  body,  and  the  other  is  pow- 
erless to  lift  him  up.  His  head  is  drooping 
and  sinking  in  death.  This  is  the  identical 
falling  and  dying  of  Christ  as  the  sin-offering 
to  which  He  refers  in  the  text.  It  is  the  same 
Seed  of  the  woman,  in  the  attitude  and  con- 
dition of  a  sacrifice  for  sin.  Christ  surely 
was  "wounded  for  our  transgressions"  and 
"bruised   for  our  iniquities."     "He  was  cut 


1 66  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living:  for  the 
transgression  of  my  people  was  He  stricken." 
As  the  Head  of  the  flock  He  suffered  in  their 
stead,  and  laid  down  His  life  in  sacrifice  that 
they  might  live.  And  here  it  is  written  on 
the  stars  from  the  earliest  ages,  and  with  a 
vividness  of  pictorial  representation  which 
no  one  can  contemplate  without  realizing  that 
the  picture  is  intensely  striking. 

The  names  in  this  sign  also  point  to  the 
same  thought  and  significance.  Gedi  and 
Dabih  are  the  most  prominent  stars  in  this 
constellation ;  and  in  Hebrew,  Arabic,  and  Syr- 
iac  these  names  mean,  the  cut-off,  the  Jzewn- 
down,  the  sacrifice  slain.  Other  stars  in  the 
same  constellation  have  names  of  similar  im- 
port, signifying  the  slaying,  the  record  of  the 
cutting  off.  Even  the  elements  of  the  name 
of  the  sign  as  we  still  have  it  from  the  Latins, 
Cap7acomus,  mean  not  only  the  goat,  but 
atonement,  sinking  or  bowed  in  death.  And 
if  there  is  any  significance  whatever  in  these 
celestial  pictures,  we  have  in  this  sign  the 
symbol  of  sacrificial  death,  which  is  the  exact 
idea  of  the  text. 

The  Church. 
But  it  is  at  the  same  time  a  picture  of  an- 


THE    CHURCH.  1 67 

other  kind  of  life,  developed  out  of  this  sac- 
rificial death,  and  vitally  conjoined  with  it. 
The  body  of  the  fallen  and  dying  goat  ter- 
minates in  the  body  and  tail  of  a  vigorous 
fish.  The  living  fish  thus  takes  its  being  out 
of  the  dying  goat,  and  has  all  its  life  and 
vigor  from  thence.  Accordingly,  the  Coptic 
name  of  this  sien  signifies  the  station  or  man- 
sion  of  bearing.  In  addition  to  the  falling  and 
dying,  it  is  the  sign  of  a  mystic  procreation 
and  bringing  forth.  That  which  is  brought 
forth  is  a  fish,  which  is  again  a  familiar  and 
well-understood  sacred  symbol. 

When  Jesus  called  and  appointed  His  first 
ministers  He  said,  "  I  will  make  you  fishers 
of  men"  (Matt.  4:19).  So  when  God  said 
He  will  bring  the  children  of  Israel  again  into 
their  own  land,  His  word  was,  "  I  will  send 
for  many  fishers,  and  they  shall  fish  them" 
(}er.  16:  15,  16).  So  in  Ezekiel's  vision  of 
the  holy  waters  the  word  was,  "  And  there 
shall  be  a  very  great  multitude  of  fish,  because 
these  waters  shall  come  thither"  (Ez.  47  :  1-9). 
Christ  speaks  of  His  saved  ones  as  "bom  of 
water"  (John  3:5).  In  the  parable  of  the 
drag-net  and  in  the  miraculous  draughts  of 
fishes  God's  people  are  contemplated  asfis/ies. 
Henrc:.  in  both  Testaments  fishes  stand  as  the 


1 68  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

symbol  of  believers.  "Fishes  signify  regen- 
erate persons,"  says  Dr.  Gill.  "  Fish  are 
those  that  are  wrought  upon  and  brought  in 
by  the  Gospel,  and  are  so  called  for  six  rea- 
sons," says  Greenhill.  "  Fish  are  the  men 
who  have  attained  to  life  by  the  Messianic 
salvation,"  says  Dr.  Hengstenberg.  The 
early  Christians  were  accustomed  to  call  be- 
lievers Ichthues  and  Pisces — that  is,  fishes.  In 
the  name  and  titles  of  our  Lord — "  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  our  Saviour'' — the  in- 
itials in  Greek  form  a  word  or  name  which 
signifies  a  fish,  and  hence  the  Fathers  techni- 
cally designated  Christ  as  the  mystic  divine 
Fish,  who  in  the  waters  of  baptism  begets 
the  multitude  of  fishes — the  congregation  of 
His  people.  Christ  is  therefore  at  once  the 
sacrificial  goat  of  the  sin-offering  and  the  be- 
getter of  a  body  of  reborn  men,  the  Church, 
the  congregation  of  the  quickened  and  saved. 
The  diction  of  the  Scriptures  thus  answers 
exactly  to  the  figure  in  this  sign,  which  is  the 
dying  goat  developed  into  a  fish  body. 

The  Mystical  Union. 
Even  the    great  New-Testament   doctrine 
of  the  Mystical  Union  of  believers  with  their 
Saviour  is  here  most  strikingly  signified.     As 


THE   MYSTICAL    UNION.  1 69 

men  naturally  are  but  reproductions  and  per- 
petuations of  Adam,  and  live  his  life,  so 
Christ's  people  are  the  reproduction  and  per- 
petuation of  Christ,  living  His  life.  They 
are  in  Him  as  the  branch  is  in  the  vine. 
They  are  repeatedly  called  His  body,  one 
with  Him,  "  members  of  His  body  and  of 
His  flesh  and  of  His  bones."  And  so  close 
and  real  is  their  life-connection  and  incorpo- 
ration with  Him  that  they  are  in  a  sense 
sometimes  called  "  Christ."  What,  then, 
could  better  symbolize  this  than  the  sign  be- 
fore us  ?  This  goat  and  fish  are  one — one 
being,  the  life  of  the  dying  reproduced  and 
continued  in  a  spiritual  product  which  is  part 
of  one  and  the  same  body*  The  goat  of  sac- 
rifice sinks  into  a  new  creation,  which  is  yet 
an  organic  part  of  itself.  The  image  is  gro- 
tesque, and  has  no  prototype  in  Nature,  but 
it  is  true,  exact  and  graphic.  The  forgive- 
ness and  regeneration  of  men,  and  their  in- 
corporation  with  Christ,  is  something  wholly 
above  Nature — something  altogether  mirac- 
ulous— which  could  not  be  adequately  signi- 
fied by  any  natural  symbols  ;  and  so,  as  the 
double  nature  of  the  Redeemer  himself  was 
denoted  by  an  arbitrary  figure,  half  horse  and. 
half  man,  so  the  relation  between  Him  as  the 
15 


I70  THE   GOSPEL    IN  THE   STARS. 

Sin-bearer  and  His  saved  people,  who  live 
by  virtue  of  His  death,  is  denoted  by  another 
arbitrary  figure,  made  up  of  a  dying  goat  and 
a  living  fish.  Nor  is  it  in  the  power  of  hu- 
man genius  or  imagination  to  devise  another 
figure  capable  of  setting  forth  more  simply 
and  truly  the  great  and  glorious  mystery. 

The  Myths. 
The  pagan  myths  concerning  this  sign  cor- 
respond with  these  interpretations.  This  goat 
is  everywhere  regarded  as  Pan,  Bacchus,  or 
some  divine  personage.  How  he  came  to 
have  the  form  of  a  goat  is  explained  after 
this  fashion  :  The  gods  were  feasting  near  a 
great  river,  when  suddenly  the  terrible  Ty- 
phon  came  upon  them,  compelling  them  to 
assume  other  shapes  in  order  to  escape  his 
fury.  Bacchus  took  the  form  of  a  goat  and 
plunged  into  the  'river,  and  that  part  of  his 
body  which  was  under  the  water  took  the  form 
of  a  fish.  To  commemorate  the  occurrence 
Jupiter  placed  him  in  the  heavens  in  his  met- 
amorphosed shape.  The  story  is  absurd,  but 
through  it  shines  something  of  the  great  orig- 
inal idea.  It  was  to  secure  deliverance  from 
the  fury  of  God's  wrath  upon  sin,  and  from 
the  ruinous  power  of  the  Devil,  that  the  Son 


THE   MYTHS.  171 

of  God  took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  Sin- 
bearer  and  Sacrifice,  and  in  this  character  was 
plunged  into  the  deep  waters  of  death.  It 
was  by  His  taking  of  this  form,  and  His  sink- 
ing in  death  as  our  substitute  and  propitiation, 
that  life  came  to  those  who  were  under  the 
power  of  death,  whereby  they  became  a  liv- 
ing part  of  Him,  never  more  to  be  separated 
from  Him.  The  myth  is  only  a  paganized 
and  corrupted  paraphrase  of  the  original 
reference  which  the  Spirit  of  sacred  proph- 
ecy had  written  in  the  primeval  astronomy, 
whence  the  whole  conception  originated. 

Da^on,  the  half-fish  crod  of  the  Philistines, 
and  Oannes,  the  half-fish  god  of  the  Babylo- 
nians, also  connect  with  this  Zodiacal  Capri- 
cornus,  and  have  embodied  in  them  the  same 
original  thought  as  well  as  figure.  Philo  tells 
us  that  Dagon  means  fruitf illness,  the  seed-pro- 
ducing ;  and  so  Christ  is  the  Seed,  the  Corn 
of  wheat,  fallen  and  dying  in  the  goat,  but 
producing  the  living  fish,  the  Church,  which 
is  the  travail  of  His  soul,  the  true  fruit  of 
His  atonement.  Eusebius  says  that  Dagon 
was  the  god  of  husbandry,  the  god  of  seeds 
and  harvests.  Pluche  says  that  Dagon  among 
the  Philistines  was  the  same  as  Horus  among 
the  Egyptians  ;  and  Horus  takes  the  charac- 


172  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ter  of  the  meek  and  silent  Sufferer  from  whom 
comes  the  horn  of  blessing  and  plenty.  Dag- 
on  had  the  human  form  in  place  of  the  goat, 
but  that  was  only  a  further  interpretation  of 
the  meaning ;  for  the  goat  part  of  Capri- 
cornus  stands  for  the  Seed  of  the  woman,  and 
so  is  in  reality  the  man  Christ  Jesus. 

Berosus  speaks  of  Oannes  as  likewise  half 
man  and  half  fish.  Some  of  the  ancient  pic- 
tures of  him  still  remain,  in  which  he  is  fig- 
ured as  a  great  fish  outside,  but  under  and 
within  the  fish,  and  joined  with  it  as  its  more 
vital  interior,  was  a  tall  and  vigorous  man, 
standing  upright  in  great  dignity,  with  one 
hand  lifted  up  as  if  calling  for  attention,  and 
in  the  other  carrying  a  basket  or  satchel  as  if 
filled  with  treasure.  He  is  fabled  as  having 
risen  out  of  the  sea  to  teach  the  primitive 
Babylonians  the  secrets  of  wisdom,  particu- 
larly the  elements  of  culture,  civilization,  and 
law,  organizing  them  into  a  prosperous  com- 
monwealth. An  ancient  fragment  says  of 
him :  "  He  grew  not  old  in  wisdom,  and  the 
wise  people  with  his  wisdom  he  filled."  The 
representation  is  throughout  in  full  accord 
with  what  I  have  been  saying  of  Capricornus. 
There  is  a  coming  up  out  of  the  deep  in 
glorious  life,  and  a  blessed  fruitfulness  brought 


SPIRITUAL    CONCEPTIONS  1 73 

forth  thereby,  and  that  fruitfulness  in  the  form 
of  instructed,  wise,  and  disciplined  people.  It 
is  the  fallen  Seed  of  the  woman  risen  up  from 
death  after  having  gone  down  into  the  invis- 
ible and  unknown  world,  begetting  and  cre- 
ating a  new  order  among  men — the  dying 
Seed  issuing  in  the  believing  body,  the  Church, 
in  which  He  still  lives  and  walks  and  teaches 
and  blesses.  The  myth  embodies  the  exact 
story  of  the  sign. 

Spiritual  Conceptions. 
Moreover,  the  very  complexity  of  the  figure 
of  Capricornus,  at  first  so  confusing  and  hard 
to  construe,  conducts  us  into  still  further  par- 
ticularities of  evangelic  truth.  As  far  as  we 
have  been  looking  at  it,  we  see  the  literal 
death  of  one  being  issuing  in  the  spiritual  life 
of  other  beings,  of  whose  new  life  He  is  the 
life.  It  is  Christ  in  the  one  case  corporeally 
sacrificed,  and  His  people  mystically  resurrect- 
ed to  newness  of  life  in  the  other.  But  along 
with  this  goes  a  reflex  which  it  is  important 
for  us  to  observe,  as  it  brines  out  some  of  the 
deep  practical  spiritualities  of  true  religion. 
Of  course,  the  rising  of  the  fishes  out  of  the 
dying  goat  implies  the  literal  and  potent  res- 
urrection  of   Christ  himself  as  the  Begetter 

15* 


1/4  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

and  Giver  of  this  spiritual  resurrection  to  His 
people  ;  for  if  He  did  not  rise,  then  no  preach- 
ing or  believing  would  avail  to  bring  us  to  life 
or  salvation.  But  as  we  rise  to  spiritual  life 
through  the  power  of  His  resurrection,  so 
there  is  also  implied  a  dying  with  Him  in  or- 
der to  rise  with  Him;  for  there  is  no  resurrec- 
tion where  there  has  been  no  dying.  We  look 
for  a  resurrection  of  the  body,  because  there 
is  first  a  death  of  the  body.  And  as  God's 
people  are  partakers  of  a  mystic  or  spiritual 
resurrection,  there  goes  before  it  a  correspond- 
ing death.  That  death  out  of  which  their  new 
life  comes  through  and  in  Christ  is  twofold. 
It  is  first  a  deadness  in  sin — existence  indeed, 
but  morally  and  spiritually  a  mere  carcass, 
with  no  life-standing  to  the  law  or  any  practi- 
cal spiritual  life  toward  God  and  heaven — a 
life  that  is  nothing  but  spiritual  death  and  cor- 
ruption under  sentence  of  eternal  death.  In 
the  next  place,  it  is  death  to  sin,  both  as  to  its 
penalty  and  power,  a  cessation  of  the  mere 
carnal  life  and  of  further  existence  under  con- 
demnation. Now,  the  great  office  of  religion, 
through  the  Seed  of  the  woman  and  His  sac- 
rificial  offering  of  himself  to  expiate  our  sins, 
is  to  bring  death  to  this  old  life  in  sin  and 
death,  and  by  this  wounding,  slaying  and  put- 


SPIRITUAL    CONCEPTIONS.  1 75 

ting-  off  of  the  old  man  of  corruption,  to  gen- 
erate, evolve,  sustain,  teach  and  train  the  new 
man,  which  is  renewed  after  the  image  of 
Christ's  own  resurrection,  and  which  beams 
with  better  knowledge  and  true  holiness. 
Christ  corporeally  dies  for  us,  and  we  mysti- 
cally die  to  the  old  death-life  with,  in,  and  by 
virtue  of  Him.  We  die  to  the  death-penalty 
which  holds  us  whilst  in  the  mere  carnal  life, 
and  put  it  clean  off  from  us  for  ever,  in  the 
atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  by  accepting  Him 
and  believing  in  Him  as  our  Surety  and  Pro- 
pitiation ;  and  in  really  taking  Him  as  our 
Redeemer  and  Hope  there  is  such  a  force  in 
our  faith,  and  it  is  in  itself  such  a  living  and 
active  power,  that  in  the  very  exercise  of  it 
we  necessarily  die  to  the  pursuit  and  service 
of  sin.  In  other  words,  beginning  to  live  in 
Christ,  we  begin  to  die  to  the  old  carnal  life. 
The  one  is  the  correlative  of  the  other.  Hence 
the  apostolic  word :  "  How  shall  we  that  are 
dead  to  sin  live  any  longer  therein  ?  Know 
ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized 
into  Jesus  Christ  were  baptized  into  His  death? 
Therefore  we  are  buried  with  Him  by  baptism 
into  death;  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up 
from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father, 
even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of 


176  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

life,  .  .  .  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is 
crucified  with  Him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might 
be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not 
serve  sin.  For  he  that  is  dead  is  freed  from 
sin  "  (Rom.  6  :  2-7). 

This,  then,  is  the  meaning  of  the  picture : 
The  Seed  of  the  woman  takes  our  death-pen- 
alty on  himself,  and  dies  a  sacrifice  for  our 
sins,  so  that  believers  die  with  Him  to  all  the 
old  life  of  condemnation  and  sin  ;  out  of  this 
death  He  springs  up  in  resurrection-power, 
in  which  believers  rise  with  Him  by  being 
brought  to  know  and  accept  the  truth  and  to 
follow  His  teachings  in  lively  hope  of  a  still 
further  rising  in  immortal  glory  at  the  last ; 
in  all  of  which  we  behold  the  much  fruit  yield- 
ed by  the  seed  of  wheat  falling  to  the  ground 
and  dying. 

And  with  these  presentations  agree  the  ac- 
companying side-pieces  or  Decans. 

The  Arrow. 
The  first  is  Sagitta,  the  shot  and  killing 
arrow.  It  appears  naked  and  alone.  It  has 
left  the  bow,  and  is  speeding  to  its  aim.  It  is 
a  heavenly  arrow,  and  He  who  shoots  it  is 
invisible.  There  is  a  majesty  and  a  mystery 
about  it  which  startles  and  awes.     It  is   the 


THE   ARROW.  IJJ 

death-arrow  of  almighty  justice,  which  goes 
forth  from  the  throne  against  all  unrighteous- 
ness and  sin.  It  is  that  death-inflicting  instru- 
ment which  comes  with  resistless  force  and 
sharpness  against  a  world  that  lieth  in  sin, 
and  which  pierces  the  spotless  Son  of  God 
as  found  in  the  place  of  guilty  and  condemned 
man.  The  execution  it  does  is  shown  in  the 
fallen  and  dying  goat.  It  is  the  arrow  of  di- 
vine justice  and  condemnation  upon  sin  pier- 
cing through  the  body  and  soul  of  the  meek 
Lamb  of  God,  who  agreed  to  bear  our  sins 
and  answer  for  them. 

In  the  thirty-eighth  Psalm  we  have  this  very 
arrow  of  God  sticking  fast  in  the  body  of  the 
mysterious  Sufferer,  wounding  His  flesh  and 
His  bones,  and  completely  overwhelming 
Him.  He  is  troubled  and  bowed  down,  as 
under  a  crushing  burden.  His  heart  panteth, 
his  strength  faileth,  the  light  of  his  eyes  fades 
out.  Not  only  is  he  the  persecuted  object  of 
man's  hatred,  but  shut  up  within  the  strong 
bars  of  divine  judgment.  It  was  divine  grace 
that  prepared  and  shot  that  arrow  against  the 
person  of  the  blameless  One  ;  but,  being  found 
in  the  room  and  stead  of  sinners,  God's  holy 
vengeance  could  not  hold  back  for  the  sparing 
even  of  the  only-begotten  of  the  Father,  so 

M 


jyS  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE    STARS. 

full  of  grace  and  truth.  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  die  for  it ;  and  toward  this  lowest 
deep  His  steps  daily  led  Him  as  He  looked 
onward  to  the  harvest  that  was  being  sown 
amid  these  tears.  It  would  seem  almost  as 
if  the  song  of  the  Psalmist  had  been  copied 
direct  from  what  is  thus  pictured  in  these 
signs. 

But  this  Arrow  doubtless  covers  a  further 
idea.  There  is  a  spiritual  piercing  and  slay- 
ing in  the  case  of  those  who  come  to  new  life 
in  Christ,  akin  to  the  piercing  and  slaying  of 
Christ  himself.  Sharp  and  hurtful  words  are 
compared  to  arrows.  And  of  this  character 
are  the  words  of  God  as  pronounced  upon  the 
wicked,  judging  and  condemning  them  for 
their  sins,  bringing  them  down  from  their 
lofty  self-security,  and  killing  out  of  them 
the  vain  imaginings  in  which  they  live.  Isaiah 
speaks  of  this  sort  of  shaft  or  arrow  in  the 
Lord's  quiver — the  arrow  of  the  Word — the 
arrow  of  conviction  of  sin,  righteousness,  and 
judgment — a  wounding  and  killing  arrow 
wnich  enters  into  men's  souls,  and  makes 
humble  penitents  of  them,  that  they  may 
come  to  life  in  Christ.  The  death  of  Christ 
for  our  sins  also  takes  the  form  of  a  word, 
preaching,  testimony,  and  argument,  even  the 


THE    PIERCED   EAGLE.  179 

preaching  of  the  Cross,  to  kill  the  life  of  sin 
and  to  cause  men  to  die  unto  it;  so  that  the 
very  arrow  of  sovereign  justice  which  drank 
up  the  life  of  Christ  as  our  Substitute  and 
Propitiation  passes  through  Him  to  pierce 
also  those  whose  life  in  sin  cost  Him  all  this 
humiliation  and  pain  ;  also  killing  them  to  that 
ill  and  condemned  life  that  they  may  live  the 
Christ-life  as  His  renewed,  justified,  and  re- 
deemed children. 

Thus  the  Arrow  fills  out  precisely  the  same 
ideas  which  we  find  symbolized  in  the  sign  of 
Capricornus. 

The  Pierced  Eagle. 
The  second  Decan  adds  still  further  to  the 
clearness  and  certainty  of  the  meaning.  This 
is  the  constellation  of  Aquila,  the  pierced, 
wounded,  and  falling  eagle.  It  is  but  another 
picture  of  the  grain  of  wheat  falling  and  dy- 
ing. The  principal  star  in  this  constellation 
is  of  the  first  magnitude,  and  is  the  star  by 
which  the  position  of  the  moon — also  a  symbol 
of  the  Church — is  noted  for  the  computation 
of  loneitude  at  sea.  Its  name  is  Al  Tair, 
which  in  Arabic  means  the  wounded.  The 
name  of  the  second  star  in  the  same  language 
means  the  scarlet-colored — covered  with  blood. 


180  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

The  name  of  the  third  means  the  to?my  whilst 
that  of  another  means  the  wounded  in  the  heel. 
It  is  simply  impossible  to  explain  how  all  these 
names  got  into  this  sign  and  its  Decans,  ex- 
cept by  intention  to  denote  the  great  fact  of 
the  promised  Saviour's  death. 

The  myths  explain  this  eagle  in  different 
ways.  Some  say  it  is  Merops,  king  of  Cos, 
the  husband  of  Ethemea,  who  lamented  for 
his  condemned  wife,  and  was  transformed 
into  an  eagle  and  placed  among  the  stars. 
Some  say  it  is  the  form  assumed  by  Jupiter 
in  carrying  off  Ganymedes,  whilst  others  de- 
scribe it  as  the  eagle  which  brought  nectar  to 
Jupiter  while  he  lay  concealed  in  the  Cretan 
cave  by  reason  of  the  fury  and  wrath  of  Sat- 
urn. In  short,  pagan  wisdom  did  not  know 
what  it  meant,  though  holding  it  in  marked 
regard.  And  yet,  as  Christ  loved  the  Church, 
and  gave  himself  for  it,  and  reigns  in  glory 
for  its  good — as  He  humbled  himself  in  obe- 
dience  to  death  that  He  might  take  to  him- 
self a  glorious  Church  to  serve  the  eternal 
Father  in  immortal  blessedness — as  He  was 
really  brought  down  into  the  cave  of  death, 
whence  He  was  revived  by  heavenly  virtues 
after  the  exhaustion  of  the  fierce  wrath  of  in- 
sulted sovereignty, — we  can  still  see  some  dim 


THE   PIERCED   EAGLE.  l8l 

reflections  of  the  original  truth  and  meaning 
even  in  these  confused  and  contradictory 
fables. 

The  eagle  is  one  of  the  biblical  symbols  of 
Christ.  "Ye  have  seen  what  I  did  unto  the 
Egyptians,  and  how  /  bare  you  on  eagles  wings 
and  brought  you  unto  myself"  (Ex.  19:4), 
"  As  an  eagle  stirreth  up  her  nest,  fluttereth 
over  her  young,  spreadeth  abroad  her  wings, 
taketh  them,  beareth  them  on  her  wings ;  so 
the  Lord  alone  did  lead  him"  (Deut.  32  :  11, 
12).  The  eagle  is  a  royal  bird,  and  the  nat- 
ural enemy  of  the  serpent.  It  is  elevated  in 
its  habits,  strong,  and  swift.  It  is  very  careful 
and  tender  toward  its  young,  and  is  said  to 
tear  itself  to  nourish  them  with  its  own  blood 
when  all  other  means  fail.  And  here  is  the 
noble  Eagle,  the  promised  Seed  of  the  wo- 
man, pierced,  torn,  and  bleeding,  that  those 
begotten  in  His  image  may  be  saved  from 
death,  sheltered,  protected,  and  made  to  live 
for  ever. 

But,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Arrow,  so  also 
in  this  case,  the  figure  will  admit  the  further 
idea  which  takes  in  the  proud  sinner,  pierced 
by  the  arrow  of  the  Word  and  brought  down 
into  the  humiliation  of  penitence,  even  to  death 
and  despair  as  to  all  his  former  hopes  in  him- 

16 


1 82  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS. 

self.  And  until  the  high-soaring  children  of 
pride  are  thus  brought  down  by  the  arrow  of 
God's  Word,  and  fall  completely  out  of  the 
heaven  of  their  dreams,  conformably  to  Christ's 
death  for  them,  there  can  come  to  them  no 
right  life.  Paul  was  alive  without  the  law 
once,  and  a  very  high-soaring  and  bloodthirsty 
eagle ;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin 
revived,  and  he  died — died  the  death  that  could 
alone  bring  him  to  right  life. 

The  Dolphin. 
The  third  Decan  of  this  si^n  is  the  beauti- 
ful  cluster  of  little  stars  named  DelpJiinus. 
It  is  the  figure  of  a  vigorous  fish  leaping  up- 
ward. Taken  in  connection  with  the  dying 
goat,  it  conveys  the  idea  of  springing  up 
again  out  of  death.  Our  great  Sin-bearer 
not  only  died  for  our  sins,  but  He  also  rose 
again,  thereby  becoming  "the  first-fruits  of 
them  that  slept."  As  the  Head  and  Repre- 
sentative of  His  Church,  He  is  the  principal 
Fish  in  the  congregation  of  the  fishes.  Their 
quickening,  life,  and  spiritual  resurrection  rest 
on  His  coming  forth  again  after  having  gone 
down  into  the  waves  of  death  for  their  sakes. 
Put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  He  was  quickened 
by  the  Spirit,  and  in  His  quickening  and  res- 


THE   DOLPHIN.  1 83 

urrection  all    His   people   share.     Their  sins 
having  been  buried  in   His  death,  their  life  is 
by  virtue  of   His  resurrection,  that  "like  as 
He  was  raised  from  the  dead,  so  we  should 
walk  in  newness  of  life,"  ever  advancing  to- 
ward    a  still  more   complete   resurrection   to 
come.    The  corn  of  wheat  falls  into  the  ground 
and  dies,  but  from  that  death  there  is  a  spring- 
ing   up    again    to    the    intended    fruitfulness. 
Christ  dies  and  rises  again,  and  His  people, 
slain  in  their  old  carnal  confidence,  absolved 
by  His  suffering  of  the  penalty  due  to  them, 
and  planting  themselves  solely  upon   Him  as 
their  Lord  and  Redeemer,  rise  with  him  into 
the  new,  spiritual,  and  eternal  life.     The  pic- 
ture of  the  dying  goat,  with   its  after-part  a 
living  fish,  implied   this,  but  the  nature  of  the 
transition  could  not  be  so  well  expressed   in 
that  figure  by   itself.      Hence   the   additional 
explanatory  figure  of  an  upspringing  fish,  to 
show  more  vividly  that  the   transition   is  by 
means  of  resurrection  to  a  new  life  of  anoth- 
er style.      We  thus  have  the  vivid  symbol  of 
both  the  resurrection  of  the  slain  Saviour  as 
the    Head   of  the   Church,  and   the  included 
new  creation  of  His  people,  who  rise  to  their 
new  life  through  His  death  and  resurrection. 
In  ancient  mythology  the  dolphin  was  the 


1 84  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE    STARS. 

most  sacred  and  honored  of  fishes,  doubtless 
because  of  its  place  among  the  ancient  con- 
stellations, though  the  myths  representing  it 
are  very  different.     It  was  specially  sacred  to 
Apollo,  and  its  name  was  added  to  his — some 
say,  because  he  slew  the  dragon  ;  others  say, 
because  in  the  form  of  a  dolphin  he  showed 
the  Cretan  colonists  the  way  to  Delphi,  the 
most  celebrated  place  in  the  Grecian  world 
and  the  seat  of  the  most  famous  of  all  the 
oracles.    According  to  some  accounts,  it  was  a 
dolphin  which  brought  about  the  marriage  of 
the  unwilling  Amphitrite  with  the  god  of  the 
sea,  and  for  this  it  received  place  among  the 
stars.     The  muddy  waters  reflect  something 
of  the  original  idea.     Christ  was  the  true  Son 
of  Deity.     It  was  He  who  broke  the  Dragon's 
power  by  submitting  to  become  the  atoning 
Mediator.     "  In  all  things  it  behoved  Him  to 
be    made    like    unto    His   brethren,   that   He 
might  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest 
to  make  reconciliation  for  the  sins  of  the  peo- 
ple."    By  His  death  and  resurrection  He  has 
opened  and  shown  the  way  by  which  His  peo- 
ple come  to  the  blessed  city  of  which  Jehovah 
is  the  light.     By  His  mediation  He  has  brought 
about  a  marriage  between  men  in  flight  from 
their  Lord  and  Him  who  loved  them  with  a 


SA  L  VA  TION   THR  O  UGH  A  TONE  ME  NT.         1 8  5 

love  that  passeth  knowledge.  And  in  believ- 
ing foretoken  of  all  this  His  sign,  as  the  Head 
of  His  people,  was  thus  placed  in  the  heavens, 
where  it  stands  as  another  form  of  the  parable 
of  the  buried  corn  of  wheat  rising  in  new  life, 
of  which  all  who  are  His  are  partakers. 

Salvation  through  Atonement. 
Capricornus  is  thus  the  illustrious  bearer 
and  witness  of  the  most  vital  evangelical 
truths.  There  is  no  more  central  or  import- 
ant doctrine  of  our  holy  faith  than  this,  that 
the  pure  and  sinless  Son  of  God,  having  as- 
sumed our  nature  for  the  purpose,  did  really 
and  truly  take  the  sins  of  the  world  upon 
Him,  and  bore  the  agonies  of  an  accursed 
death  as  the  sacrifice  and  propitiation  for  our 
guilt.  Whatever  difficulty  human  reason  may 
have  in  receiving  it,  it  is  the  very  heart  and 
substance  of  the  Gospel  tidings,  on  which  all 
the  hopes  of  fallen  man  repose.  "  Thus  it  is 
written,  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer, 
and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day,  that 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  might  be 
preached  in  His  name"  (Luke  24:46,  47). 
This  "  first  of  all "  Paul  preached,  and  Chris- 
tians received  and  held,  "  how  that  Christ  died 
for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures,  and 


1 86  THE   GOSPEL    IX    THE    STARS. 

that  He  was  buried,  and  that  He  rose  again 
the  third  day  according  to  the  Scriptures " 
(i  Cor.  15  :  3,  4).  "Forasmuch  as  the  chil- 
dren are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood.  He  also 
himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same,  that 
through  death  He  might  destroy  him  that  had 
the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  Devil,  and  de- 
liver them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all 
their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage  "  (Heb.  2  : 
14,  15).  Hence  the  highest  apostolic  song  on 
earth  is  that  led  off  by  the  holy  seer  of  Pat- 
mos :  "Unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and  hath 
made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His 
Father;  to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  for 
ever  and  ever ;"  whilst  the  saints  in  heaven, 
in  devoutest  adoration,  fall  down  before  the 
Lamb,  and  cry,  "  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the 
book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof ;  for  Thou 
wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  Thy 
blood"  (Rev.  1  :  5,  6 ;   5:9). 

And  how  cheering  and  confirmatory  to  our 
faith  to  see  and  know  that  what  Prophets  and 
Apostles  have  been  testifying  on  earth  the 
heavens  themselves  have  been  proclaiming 
for  all  these  aees  !  How  assuring  to  know 
that  what  we  build  our  hope  on  now  is  the 
same   that  the  holy  patriarchs  from  Adam's 


SA  L  VA  T10N   THR  O  UGH  A  TONE  ME  NT.         I  $7 

time  built  on  as  their  hope  and  joy !  They 
believed  and  expected,  and  hung  their  faith 
and  testimony  on  the  stars,  that  in  the  fulness 
of  time  the  Seed  of  the  woman  should  come, 
and  bow  himself  in  death  as  the  Sin-offering 
for  a  guilty  world,  and  rise  again  in  life  and 
fruitfulness  of  saving  virtues,  whereby  His 
Church  should  rise  with  Him,  sharing  at  once 
the  merit  of  His  atonement  and  the  power  of 
His  resurrection,  and  thus  live  and  reign  in 
inseparable  union  with  himself  in  life  and  glo- 
ry everlasting.  Every  September  midnight 
of  every  year  for  all  these  centuries  has  ac- 
cordingly displayed  the  sign  of  it  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  sky,  and  held  it  forth  to  the  eyes 
of  mortals  as  the  blessed  hope  and  only  ref- 
use of  a  condemned  world,  at  the  same  time 
that  it  marks  the  point  of  change  in  year  and 
climate,  and  when  the  darkness  is  the  great- 
est opens  the  southern  gateway  of  the  Sun. 

Yes,  this  strange  goat-fish,  dying  in  its 
head,  but  living  in  its  after-part — falling  as 
an  eagle  pierced  and  wounded  by  the  arrow 
of  death,  but  springing  up  from  the  dark 
waves  with  the  matchless  vigor  and  beauty 
of  the  dolphin — sinking  under  sin's  condem- 
nation, but  rising  again  as  sin's  conqueror — 
developing  new  life  out  of  death,  and  herald- 


1 88       THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

ing  a  new  spring-time  out  of  December's 
long  drear  nights — was  framed  by  no  blind 
chance  of  man.  The  story  which  it  tells  is 
the  old,  old  story  on  which  hangs  the  only 
availing  hope  that  ever  came,  or  ever  can 
come,  to  Adam's  race.  To  what  it  signifies 
we  are  for  ever  shut  up  as  the  only  saving 
faith.  In  that  dying  Seed  of  the  woman  we 
must  see  our  Sin-bearer  and  the  atonement 
for  our  guilt,  or  die  ourselves  unpardoned 
and  unsanctified.  Through  His  death  and 
blood-shedding  we  must  find  our  life,  or  the 
true  life,  which  alone  is  life,  we  never  can 
have. 

"  The  wheaten  corn  which  falls  and  dies, 
In  autumn's  plenty  richly  waves ; 
So,  from  the  loathsome  place  of  graves, 
With  Christ,  our  Elder,  we  may  rise. 

"  From  death  comes  life  !     The  hand  of  God 
This  direst  curse  to  good  transforms ; 
So  purest  air  is  born  of  storms ; 
So  bursts  the  harvest  from  the  clod." 


Uraure  (Stgijtfj. 

THE  LIVING    WATERS, 

John  7  :  37 :  "If   any  man  thirst,  let  him   come  unto  Me,   and 
drink." 

ONE  of  the  gladdest  things  in  our  world 
is  water.  In  whatever  shape  it  pre- 
sents itself,  it  is  full  of  interest  and  beauty. 
Whether  trickling  down  in  pearly  mist  from 
the  fragrant  distilleries  of  Nature,  or  rippling 
in  merry  windings  through  the  grassy  dell  or 
shady  grove;  whether  jetting  from  the  rocky 
precipices  of  the  mountain,  or  gathered  into 
the  rolling  plains  of  ocean  ;  whether  spark- 
ling in  the  ice-gem,  or  pouring  in  the  cata- 
ract ;  whether  coming  in  silver  drops  from 
the  bow-spanned  heavens,  or  forcing  itself 
out  in  glassy  purity  from  the  dark  veins  of 
the  earth ;  whether  in  the  feathery  crystals 
of  the  snow-flakes,  or  grandly  moving  in  the 
volume  of  the  ample  river, — it  is  everywhere 
and  always  beautiful.  Next  to  light,  it  is 
God's  brightest  element ;  and  liodit  itself  is 
as  much  at  home  in   it  as  in  its  own  native 

189 


190  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

sky.  Sometimes,  in  some  connections,  it  is 
the  symbol  of  evil,  but  even  there  it  is  the  ex- 
pression of  life  and  energy.  Nor  is  it  much 
to  be  wondered  that  in  the  hot  Orient  men 
were  moved  to  deify  fountains  and  erect  vo- 
tive temples  over  them,  as  though  they  were 
gracious  divinities.  The  preciousness  of 
bright,  fresh  waters  to  parched  and  needy 
man  is  beyond  all  compare.  Where  such 
waters  come  they  bring  gladness  and  rejuve- 
nation, luxuriousness  and  plenty.  Where 
they  pour  forth,  sinking  strength  recovers, 
dying  life  rekindles,  perishing  Nature  revives, 
a  thousand  delights  are  awakened,  and  every- 
thing rejoices  and  sings  with  new-begotten 
life/ 

Such  an  object  in  Nature  could  not  fail  to 
be  seized  by  the  sacred  writers  to  represent 
the  life-giving  purity  and  regenerating  power 
of  divine  grace  and  salvation.  Accordingly, 
we  find  it  one  of  the  common  and  most  lively 
images  under  which  the  Scriptures  set  forth 
the  cleansing,  renewing,  and  saving  virtues 
that  come  to  man  in  God's  redemptive  ad- 
ministrations. Thus  the  Spirit  in  Baalam's 
unwilling  lips  described  the  goodliness  of  Is- 
rael's tents  "  as  the  valleys  spread  forth,  as 
gardens  by  the  river's  side,  as  the   trees  of 


THE    LIVING    WATERS.  I9I 

lign-aloes  which  the  Lord  hath  planted,  as 
cedar  trees  beside  the  waters."  Thus  when 
the  inspired  Moses  began  his  song  of  God's 
grace  to  Israel's  tribes,  he  said,  "  My  doctrine 
shall  drop  as  the  rain,  my  speech  shall  distil 
as  the  dew,  as  the  small  rain  upon  the  tender 
herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon  the  grass." 
The  good  man  is  "  like  a  tree  planted  by  the 
rivers  of  water,  that  bringeth  forth  his  fruit 
in  his  season,  whose  leaf  also  shall  not  with- 
er." The  joy  of  Messiah's  day  is  the  open- 
ing of  u  a  fountain  to  the  house  of  David,  and 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and 
for  uncleanness."  Ezekiel  beholds  the  bless- 
ed influences  of  the  sanctuary  as  issuing  wa- 
ters— waters  to  the  ankles,  waters  to  the 
knees,  waters  to  the  loins,  waters  to  swim  in 
— a  river  of  waters.  Jesus  himself  discoursed 
to  the  woman  of  Samaria  of  the  saving-  bene- 
fits  of  His  grace  as  "  living  water" — water 
which  slakes  all  thirst  for  ever.  The  people 
of  God  are  likened  to  fishes,  whose  life-ele 
ment  is  water.  And  so  in  the  text  the  Saviour 
compares  His  redeeming  virtue  and  grace  to 
water,  and  says,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  Jdrn 
come  unto  Me,  and  drink." 

In  those  signs,  then,  which  the  primeval  pa- 
triarchs hung  upon  the  stars  as    everlasting 


192  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

witnesses  of  God's  gracious  purposes  to  be 
achieved  through  the  Seed  of  the  woman,  we 
would  certainly  expect  to  find  some  great 
prominence  given  to  this  same  significant 
symbol.  And  as  we  would  anticipate,  so  do 
we  really  find,  especially  in  the  sixth  sign  of 
the  Zodiac,  which  we  now  come  to  consider. 

The  Sign  of  Aquarius. 
Here  is  the  figure  of  a  man  with  a  great 
urn  upon  his  arm,  from  which  he  is  pouring 
out  from  the  heavens  a  stream  of  water  which 
flows  with  all  the  volume  of  a  swollen  river. 
Mythology  calls  him  Ganymedes,  the  bright, 
glorified,  and  happy  One — the  Phrygian  youth 
so  beautiful  on  earth  that  the  great  King  and 
Father  of  gods  carried  him  away  to  heaven  on 
eagles'  wings  to  live  in  glory  with  immortals. 
Some  say  that  he  came  to  an  untimely  death  in 
this  world;  and  the  stories  in  general  combine 
in  representing  him  as  the  beloved  and  favor- 
ite of  the  divine  Father,  exalted  to  glory  and 
made  the  chosen  cup-bearer  of  the  Deity. 
Classic  art  portrays  him  as  a  most  beautiful 
young  man,  sometimes  carried  by  an  eagle, 
sometimes  ministering  drink  to  an  eagle  from 
a  bowl  which  he  bears,  and  again  as  the 
particular  companion  of  the  eternal   Father. 


THE   SIGN  OF  AQUARIUS.  1 93 

Amid  all  these  earthly  varnishes  which  pa- 
ganism has  daubed  over  the  picture  we  still 
may  see  the  sacred  image  shining  through. 
The  true  Ganymedes  is  the  beautiful  Lord 
Jesus,  "the  chief  among  ten  thousand,  and 
altogether  lovely."  Cut  off  was  He  in  His 
early  manhood,  but  divinely  lifted  up  again, 
Dome  away  to  heaven  on  unfailing  wings, 
seated  in  brightness  and  glory  beside  the 
everlasting  Father,  loved  and  approved  as 
God's  only-begotten  Son,  made  the  sovereign 
Lord  and  Dispenser  of  grace  and  salvation, 
and  by  His  merit  procuring  and  pouring  out 
the  very  "  river  of  water  of  life."  The  urn 
He  holds  is  the  exhaustless  reservoir  of  all 
the  fulness  of  renewing,  comforting,  and  sanc- 
tifying power.  And  the  turning  of  that  holy 
urn  for  its  contents  to  flow  down  into  the 
world  below  is  the  precise  picture  of  the  ful- 
filment of  those  old  prophetic  promises:  "I 
will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and 
floods  upon  the  dry  ground :  I  will  pour  out 
my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing 
upon  thine  offspring;"  "I  will  pour  out  my 
Spirit  upon  all  flesh ;  and  your  sons  and  your 
daughters  shall  prophesy,  and  your  old  men 
shall  dream  dreams,  and  your  young  men 
shall  see  visions  "  (Isa.  44  :  3  ;  Joel  2:28). 

17  N 


194  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

The  name  of  the  principal  star  in  this  sign 
— Set  ad  al  Melik — means  Record  of  the  out- 
pouring. The  Coptic,  Greek,  and  Latin 
names  of  the  sign  itself  signify  The  Pourei'- 
fortJi  of  water,  The  exalted  Waterman,  as 
though  specially  to  designate  Him  who  says. 
"If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  Me,  and 
drink!' 

Promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
When  Christ  was  about  to  leave  the  world 
He  said  to  His  followers,  "It  is  expedient  for 
you  that  I  go  away ;  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the 
Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you  ;  but  if  I 
depart,  I  will  send  Him  unto  you.  .  .  .  He 
will  guide  you  into  all  truth.  .  .  .  He  will 
show  you  things  to  come.  .  .  .  He  shall  glo- 
rify me :  for  He  shall  receive  of  mine,  and 
shall  show  it  unto  you"  (John  16).  That 
promise  included  all  the  divine  life-power 
issuing  from  the  mediation  of  Christ  for  the 
illumination,  regeneration,  and  salvation  of  men 
— all  the  renewing,  cleansing,  comforting,  and 
energizing  grace  for  the  gathering  of  the  elect 
and  the  bringing  of  believers  to  eternal  life 
and  glory.  The  Holy  Ghost  was  in  the  world 
from  the  beginning,  but  here  was  the  promise 
of  a  new  and  enlarged  grant  and  endowment, 


THE   SIGN   OF  AQUARIUS.  1 95 

to  lift,  nourish,  and  distinguish  Christian  be- 
lievers.  The  same  was  gloriously  fulfilled  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  "  suddenly  there 
came  a  sound  from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing 
mighty  wind,  and  filled  all  the  house  where 
they  were  sitting ;  and  they  were  all  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak 
with  other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave  them 
utterance."  And  when  the  Jews  mocked  and 
derided,  the  sacred  explanation  was  that  Jesus, 
being  raised  up  again  from  the  dead  and  ex- 
alted to  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  having  so 
received  of  the  Father,  was  now  the  Giver 
and  Shedder-forth  of  this  marvellous  power. 
He  is  thus  presented  to  our  contemplation  as 
the  glorified  Pourer-forth  from  heaven  of  the 
blessed  waters  of  life  and  salvation  ;  in  other 
words,  the  true  Aquarius,  of  whom  the  picture 
in  the  sign  was  the  prophecy  and  foreshowing. 
Wherever  the  Scriptures  represent  the 
Spirit  and  grace  of  God  under  the  imagery 
of  waters,  the  idea  of  unfailing  supply  and 
plenteous  abundance  is  also  invariably  con- 
nected with  it.  Sometimes  it  is  a  plentiful 
rain  ;  sometimes  it  is  a  voluminous  fountain  ; 
sometimes  it  is  a  great  river  flowing  with  ful- 
ness that  supplies  a  thousand  life-freighted 
rivulets.      Inspiration   tells   us   that   the   rock 


I96  THE   GOSPEL   IN    THE   STARS. 

smitten  by  Moses  was  the  type  of  the  smiting 
of  Christ  and  the  blessings  proceeding  from 
Him  ;  but  in  that  case  the  waters  "gushed ; 
they  ran  in  dry  places  like  a  river."  Isaiah 
sings :  "  The  glorious  Lord  will  be  unto  us  a 
place  of  broad  rivers  and  streams."  Ezekiel's 
river  was  deep  and  broad,  healing  even  the 
Dead  Sea  with  the  abundance  of  its  flow. 
Zechariah  says  these  heavenly  waters  flow 
out  to  both  seas,  and  continue  without  cessa- 
tion summer  and  winter  alike.  God's  prom- 
ise is,  "  I  will  open  rivers  in  high  places,  and 
fountains  in  the  midst  of  the  valleys :  I  will 
make  the  wilderness  a  pool  of  water,  and  the 
dry  land  springs  of  water;"  which,  as  John 
Brentius  says,  "denotes  the  great  plenteous- 
ness  of  the  Word  and  eternal  blessedness  flow- 
ing from  Christ  the  Fountain."  And  the  same 
is  characteristic  of  the  picture  in  this  sign. 
From  the  urn  of  Aquarius  flows  a  vast,  con- 
stant, and  voluminous  river.  It  flows  in  a 
bending  stream  both  to  eastward  and  west- 
ward, and  enlarges  as  it  flows.  The  imagery 
of  the  Scriptures  and  the  imagery  of  this  sign 
are  exactly  of  a  piece,  and  the  true  reason  of 
the  coincidence  is,  that  both  were  meant  to 
record  and  set  forth  the  same  elorious  evan- 

o 

oelic  truths. 


the  southern  fish.  1 97 

The  Southern  Fish. 

That  this  sign  was  really  framed  to  be  a 
picture  of  the  risen  and  glorified  Redeemer 
pouring  out  from  heaven  the  saving  influences 
and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  further  evi- 
denced by  the  first  Decan  of  Aquarius.  Those 
who  truly  profit  by  the  gifts  and  powers  pro- 
cured and  poured  out  by  our  glorious  Inter- 
cessor are  the  people  who  believe  in  Christ, 
the  regenerate,  the  saved  Church.  These,  as 
we  saw  in  our  last,  are  the  mystic  fishes. 
And  here,  as  the  first  Decan  of  Aquarius,  we 
have  the  picture  of  a  fish — Piscis  Australis — 
drinking  in  the  stream  which  pours  from  the 
urn  of  the  beautiful  One  in  heaven.  It  is  the 
picture  of  the  believing  acceptance  of  the  in- 
vitation of  the  text.  Jesus  stood  and  cried, 
"  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  Me,  and 
drink  ;"  and  here  is  a  coming  from  below — a 
glad  coming  to  the  stream  which  issues  from 
on  high,  a  drinking  in  of  the  heavenly  waters, 
and  a  vigorous  life  sustained  and  expanded 
by  means  of  that  drinking. 

The  mythic  legends  do  not  help  us  much 
with  regard  to  the  interpretation  of  this  con- 
stellation, but  they  still  furnish  a  few  signif- 
icant hints.      Some   say   this   fish  represents 

17* 


I98  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Astarte,  called  Aphrodite  by  die  Greeks  and 
Venus  by  the  Romans,  and  that  she  here  ap- 
pears in  the  form  into  which  she  metamor- 
phosed herself  to  escape  the  advances  and 
power  of  the  horrible  Typhon.  Astarte  was 
the  moon-goddess,  the  great  mother,  the  em- 
bodiment of  the  dependent  but  ever-produc- 
tive feminine  principle.  In  the  symbology  of 
the  Scriptures  the  moon  sometimes  denotes 
the  mother  of  the  family,  as  in  Joseph's  dream 
(Gen.  3j),  and  both  the  woman  and  the  moon 
are  representatives  of  the  Church.  As  the 
woman  was  made  out  of  the  side  of  Adam 
while  He  slept,  so  the  Church  was  made  out 
of  Christ  by  means  of  that  deep  sleep  of  death 
which  came  upon  Him,  and  to  which  He  sub- 
mitted for  the  purpose.  The  whole  mystery 
of  marriage  is  the  symbol  of  the  union  be- 
tween Christ  and  His  Church  (Eph.  5  :  23-32). 
Everywhere  the  congregation  of  believers  is 
pictured  as  the  spouse  of  Christ,  the  spir- 
itual woman,  the  mother  of  us  all.  And  if 
this  fish  represents  the  Astarte  of  the  pa- 
gan religion,  we  have  only  to  strip  off  the 
heathen  impurities,  and  understand  the  ref- 
erence in  the  sense  and  application  of  the 
Scripture  symbols,  in  order  to  find  here  a 
picture    of   the    regenerate    people    of    God. 


PEGASUS.  199 

the  Church,  the  bride  of  Christ,  the  mother 
of  saints. 

So  understood,  the  metamorphosis  into  a 
fish  is  also  applicable  and  significant,  as  in  no 
other  interpretation.  All  true  members  of 
the  Church  are  transformed  persons,  made 
over  again  by  the  power  of  a  new  spiritual 
creation,  and  living  a  new  life  superadded  to 
Nature.  It  is  by  this  spiritual  metamorpho- 
sis that  we  make  our  escape  from  the  power 
and  dominion  of  the  Devil.  And  it  is  by 
means  of  this  transformation  that  we  have 
our  status  and  relations  in  the  heavenly  econ- 
omy and  kingdom.  The  light  comes  feebly 
through  the  dark  and  murky  atmosphere  of 
the  pagan  world  ;  but  wherever  we  get  sight 
of  a  distinct  ray,  it  easily  resolves  back  into 
the  figures  of  the  primeval  constellations,  and' 
thence  into  the  sacred  story  of  redemption 
through  the  promised  Seed  of  the  woman. 

Pegasus. 
And  in  perfect  consistence  with,  and  as  fur- 
ther illustration  of,  what  I  have  given  as  the 
meaning  of  this  sign,  is  the  second  Decan. 
Here  is  the  figure  of  a  great  horse  pushing  for- 
ward with  full  speed,  with  great  wings  spring- 
ine  from  his  shoulders.     The  elements  of  his 


200  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

name,  as  in  Isaiah  64  15  (4),  signify  the  swift 
divine  messenger  bringing  joy  to  those  whom 
he  meets,  otherwise  the  horse  of  the  opening ;  or 
as  the  Greeks  put  it,  without  obliteration  of 
the  old  Noetic  nomenclature,  the  horse  of  the 
gushing  fountain — a  celestial  horse,  ever  asso- 
ciated with  glad  song,  the  favorite  of  the 
Muses,  under  whose  hoofs  the  Pierian  springs 
started  upon  Mount  Helicon,  and  on  whose 
back  rode  Bellerophon  as  he  went  forth  to 
slay  the  monster  Chimaera. 

The  fables  say  that  this  wonderful  horse 
sprang  into  being  from  the  slaying  of  Me- 
dusa by  Perseus  ;  that  he  was  called  Pegasus 
(Trrjyyj-aoc),  Horse  of  the  Fountain,  because  he 
first  appeared  near  the  springs  of  the  ocean  ; 
that  he  lived  in  the  palace  of  the  King  and 
Father  of  gods,  and  thundered  and  lightened 
for  Jupiter ;  and  that  Bellerophon  obtained 
possession  of  him  through  sacrifice  to  the 
goddess  of  justice,  followed  by  a  deep  sleep, 
during  which  he  was  divinely  given  the  gold- 
en bridle  which  the  wild  horse  obeyed,  and 
thus  he  was  borne  forth  to  victory,  though  not 
without  receiving  a  painful  sting  in  his  foot. 

In  the  first  chapter  of  Zechariah  the  ap- 
pearance of  such  horses  are  the  symbols  of 
those  whom  "  God  hath  sent  to  walk  to  and 


PEGASUS.  20 1 

fro  through  the  earth,"  not  simply  to  see  and 
report  the  condition  of  affairs,  but  to  shake 
and  disturb  nations,  so  as  to  restore  liberty, 
peace,  and  blessing  to  God's  people.  Pega- 
sus is  not  precisely  one  of  those  horses,  or 
all  of  them  combined  in  one,  but  still  a  some- 
what corresponding  ambassador  of  God.  Pe- 
gasus is  winged ;  he  moves  with  heavenly 
speed.  The  first  part  of  his  or  his  riders 
name,  Pega,  Peka,  or  Pacha,  in  the  Noetic 
dialects  means  the  chief ;  and  the  latter  part, 
sus,  means,  not  only  a  horse,  but  swiftly  com- 
ing or  returning,  with  the  idea  of  joy-bring- 
ing;  hence  the  chief  co7ning  forth  again  in 
great  victory,  and  with  good  tidings  and  bless- 
ing to  those  to  whom  he  comes.  The  ancient 
names  of  the  stars  which  make  up  his  con- 
stellation are — Markab,  the  returning  ;  Scheat, 
he  who  goeth  and  returneth  ;  Enif  the 
Branch ;  Al  Genib,  who  carries  ;  Homan,  the 
waters ;  Matar,  who  causeth  the  plenteous 
overflow.  The  names  show  to  what  the  pic- 
ture applies. 

Gathering  up  these  remarkable  items,  and 
combining  them,  as  they  all  readily  combine, 
in  one  consistent  narrative,  we  have  in' aston- 
ishing fulness  one  of  the  sublimest  evangelic 
presentations  ;  nay,  the  very  going  forth  of 


202  THE   GOSPEL    IN  THE   STARS. 

Christ  in  His  living  Gospel,  as  from  the 
scenes  of  that  supper-hall  which  witnessed 
the  coming  of  the  Paraclete  the  joyous  wa- 
ters of  cleansing  and  redemption,  through 
His  successful  mediation,  poured  their  glad 
flood  into  our  weary  world.  Then  the  word 
was,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  [Good  Tidings]  to  every  crea- 
ture. He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall 
be  saved."  Thenceforward,  Parthians  and 
Medes,  and  Elamites,  and  the  dwellers  in 
Mesopotamia,  and  in  Judaea,  and  Cappadocia, 
in  Pontus  and  Asia,  Phrygia  and  Pamphylia, 
in  Egypt,  in  Lybia,  and  strangers  of  Rome, 
Jews  and  proselytes,  Cretes  and  Arabians,  and 
people  to  the  farthest  ends  of  the  earth,  were 
made  to  hear,  in  their  tongues,  the  wonderful 
works  and  achievements  of  God  for  the  re- 
newal and  saving  of  men.  Thenceforward 
the  Glad  Tidings  went,  winged  with  the  Spirit 
of  God,  waking  poetic  springs  of  joy  upon 
the  mountains  and  in  the  valleys,  slaying  the 
powers  of  darkness  and  superstition,  over- 
whelming the  dominion  of  the  Devil,  and 
bringing  song  and  salvation  to  every  thirsty 
and  perishing  soul  which  hears  and  obeys  the 
call  of  the  Lord  of  life  to  come  unto  Him  and 
drink.     The  true  Pegasus  is  the  herald  and 


THE   SWAN.  203 

bringer  of  Christ's  mediatorial  success  and 
salvation  to  a  famishing  world,  which  the 
saintly  patriarchs  looked  for  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  which  they  thus  figured  in  the  con- 
stellations in  advance  as  an  imperishable  wit- 
ness of  what  was  to  come  through  and  by 
that  Coming  One  in  whom  all  their  hopes 
were  centred. 

The  Swan. 
The  final  side-piece  which  accompanies  the 
Zodiacal  Aquarius  accords  precisely  with  this 
presentation.  It  is  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing and  beautiful  of  the  constellations,  both  in 
its  natural  peculiarities  and  in  its  evangelic 
references.  It  consists  of  eighty-one  stars — 
one  of  the  first  or  second  magnitude,  six  of 
the  third,  and  twelve  of  the  fourth ;  and  some 
of  these  never  set.  It  embraces  at  least  five 
double  stars  and  one  quadruple.  The  binary 
star  (61  Cygni)  is  the  most  remarkable  known 
in  the  heavens.  It  is  one  of  the  nearest  to  our 
system  of  the  fixed  stars.  It  consists  of  two 
connected  stars,  which,  besides  their  revolution 
about  each  other,  have  a  common  progres- 
sive and  uniform  motion  toward  some  deter- 
minate  region,  and  moving  thousands  of 
times  faster  than  the  swiftest  body  known  to 


^04  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

our  system.  This  constellation  has  a  number 
of  distinct  systems  in  itself,  and  shows  plan- 
etary nebulae  which  have  led  astronomers  tc 
regard  it  as  the  intermediate  link  between 
the  planetary  worlds  and  the  nebulous  stars. 
It  has  in  it  specimens  of  both,  and  lies  in  the 
midst  of  the  great  Galactic  Stream  of  nebu- 
lous stars.  It  is  therefore  remarkably  suited 
to  represent  that  peculiar  and  complex  econ- 
omy—  partly  celestial  and  partly  terrestrial, 
partly  acting  by  itself  and  partly  dependent 
on  the  heavenly  powers — by  which  grace  and 
salvation  are  carried  and  ministered  to  the 
children  of  men. 

The  figure  in  this  constellation  is  the  figure 
of  aszvan,  the  lordly  bird-king  of  the  waters, 
in  all  ages  and  in  all  refined  countries  con- 
sidered the  emblem  of  poetic  dignity,  purity, 
and  grace.  By  the  Greeks  and  Romans  it 
was  held  sacred  to  the  god  of  beauty  and  the 
Muses,  and  special  sweetness  was  connected 
with  its  death.     ^Eschylus  sung, 

"The  swan, 
Expiring,  dies  in  melody." 

As  the  white  dove  is  the  emblem  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  so  the  elegant,  pure,  and  grace- 
ful swan  is  a  fitting  emblem  of  Him  who,  dy- 


THE   SWAN.  205 

inor  sends  forth  the  elad  river  of  livine  waters, 
and  presides  in  His  majesty  over  the  admin- 
istration of  them  to  the  thirsty  children  of 
men.     And  this  is  here  the  underlying  idea. 

But  this  swan  is  on  the  zving,  in  the  act  of 
rapid  flight,  "  circling  and  returning,"  as  its 
name  in  Greek  and  Latin  signifies.  It  seems 
to  be  flying  down  the  Milky  Way,  in  the  same 
general  direction  with  the  river  which  pours 
from  the  heavenly  urn.  The  principal  stars 
which  mark  its  wings  and  length  of  body 
form  a  large  and  beautiful  cross,  the  most 
regular  of  all  J:he  crosses  formed  by  the  con- 
stellations. It  is  thus  the  bird  of  matchless 
beauty,  purity,  dignity,  and  grace,  bearing 
aloft  the  cross,  and  circling  with  it  over  the 
blessed  waters  of  life ;  whilst  in  the  naming 
of  its  stars,  the  brightest  is  Deneb,  the  Lord  or 
Judge  to  come  ;  Azel,  who  goes  and  returns  ; 
Fafage,  glorious,  shining  forth ;  Sadr,  who  re- 
turns as  in  a  circle  ;  Adige,  flying  swiftly  ; 
Arided,  He  shall  come  down  ;  and  other  words' 
of  like  import,  we  find  strong  identifications 
of  this  lordly  bird-king  of  the  waters  with  Him 
who,  through  the  preaching  of  His  cross  hither 
and  thither  over  all  this  nether  world,  cries 
and  says,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  tmto 
Me,  and  dj'ink." 
is 


206  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE    STARS. 

Greek  and  Roman  mythology  is  greatly  at 
a  loss  to  account  for  the  presence  of  this  bird 
in  the  sky ;  but  the  stones  on  the  subject  are 
not  destitute  of  thought  and  suggestion  cor- 
responding with  the  evangelic  truth.  The 
Greeks  enumerated  a  collection  of  characters 
of  different  parentages  and  histories,  each  re- 
puted to  have  been  the  original  of  this  swan 
in  the  heavens.  One  was  the  son  of  Apollo, 
a  handsome  hunter,  who  in  some  strange  fit 
leaped  into  Lake  Canope,  and  was  metamor- 
phosed into  this  swan.  Another  was  the  son 
of  Poseidon,  an  ally  of  the  Trojans,  who  could 
not  be  hurt  with  arms  of  iron,  but  was  stran- 
gled by  Achilles — whose  body,  when  the  victor 
meant  to  rifle  it,  suddenly  took  its  departure 
to  heaven  in  the  form  of  a  swan.  A  third  was 
the  son  of  Ares,  killed  by  Herakles  in  a  duel, 
who  at  his  death  was  changed  by  his  father 
into  a  swan.  A  fourth  was  the  son  of  Sthene- 
lus  and  a  dear  friend  and  relative  of  Phaeton, 
who  so  lamented  the  fate  of  him  whom  Jupiter 
destroyed  for  his  bad  driving  of  the  chariot 
of  the  sun  that  Apollo  metamorphosed  him 
into  a  swan  and  placed  him  among  the  stars. 
Some  dim  embodiments  of  the  true  prophetic 
delineations  of  this  swan,  and  of  that  history 
of  the  Redeemer  through  which  He  came  to 


A   BEAUTIFUL   PICTURE.  20y 

the  position  and  relations  in  which  this  pic 
ture  received  fulfilment,  appear  in  the  several 
myths.  Christ  was  of  divine  birth  and  nature. 
He  was  in  himself  invincible.  He  did  submit 
to  death  in  heroic  conflict  with  the  powers  of 
darkness  and  the  just  penalties  due  the  sins 
of  the  world.  It  was  His  great  love  for  those 
to  whom  He  became  a  Brother  that  brought 
him  down  to  the  dark  river.  His  body  did 
take  life  again  after  death,  and  disappear  into 
a  new  form  of  brightness  and  glory  to  assume 
position  in  the  heavens.  In  these  several  par- 
ticulars the  myths  touching  this  constellation 
are  in  remarkable  accord  with  the  Gospel  his- 
tory, and  help  to  reflect  how  minute  and  clear 
and  vivid  were  the  believing  anticipations  of 
the  makers  of  these  signs  already  in  the  very 
first  ages  of  our  race. 

A  Beautiful  Picture. 
Thus,  then,  in  the  Zodiacal  Aquarius  we 
have  the  picture  in  the  stars  of  the  heavenly 
waters  of  life  and  salvation ;  of  their  source 
in  the  beautiful  Seed  of  the  woman,  slain  in- 
deed, but  risen  again  and  lifted  up  in  ever- 
lasting glory ;  of  the  voluminous  plenteous 
ness  in  which  they  flow  down  into  all  our  dry 
and  thirsty  world ;  of  the   new  creation   and 


208  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

joyous  life  they  bring  to  those  who  drink 
them  ;  of  the  swift  heralding  and  bearing  of 
the  glad  provision  to  all  people ;  and  of  the 
graceful  holding  forth  of  the  cross  to  the  na- 
tions over  which,  on  outspread  wings,  the 
Lord  of  these  waters  circles,  in  His  meek 
loveliness  ever  calling,  "If  any  man  thirst,  let 
him  come  unto  Me,  and  drink." 

Beautiful  picture  of  most  precious  Gospel 
truths  ! — a   picture  which   I  can  interpret  no 
otherwise  than  as  intended  by  men  fully  in- 
formed  beforehand    of  these   glorious   facts. 
And  if,  perchance,  these  constellations   were 
not  meant  in  token,  testimony,  and  prophecy 
of  what  was  foreknown,  believed,  and  expect- 
ed by  the  primeval  patriarchs  who  arranged 
them,  the  picture  is  still  true  to  what  has  since 
come  to  pass,  and  which  it  is  part  of  our  holy 
religion  to  accept  and  rejoice  in  as  the  great 
mercy  of  God  to  a  fallen  world.     Christ  Jesus 
is  the  beautiful  Saviour  of  mankind,  Son  of 
God  and  Son  of  man.     He  did  come  in  the 
flesh  and  live  a  human  life  in  which  humanity 
came  to  its  loveliest  and  highest  bloom.     He 
did  suffer  and  die  a  violent  death  from  offend- 
ed justice  on  account  of  sin  which  He  assumed, 
but  in  no  degree  chargeable  to  Him.     He  did 
rise  again   from  death   by  the  power  of  the 


A  BEAUTIFUL   PICTURE.  209 

eternal  Spirit,  changed,  transfigured,  and  glo- 
rified, and  soar  away  beyond  all  reach  of  en- 
emies, even  to  the  calm  heavens,  where  no 
revolutions  of  time  can  any  more  obscure  His 
brightness  or  eclipse  the  outshining  of  His 
glory.  He  is  there  as  the  Lord  of  life  and 
grace,  obtaining  by  His  meritorious  interces- 
sion an  exhaustless  fulness  of  spiritual  treas- 
ures, like  very  rivers  of  renewing  and  sancti- 
fying mercies,  which  He  has  poured,  and  is 
ever  pouring,  down  into  our  world  for  the 
comfort,  cheer,  and  salvation  of  those  who  be- 
lieve in  Him.  He  has  arranged,  and  himself 
conducts  and  energizes,  a  great  system  of 
means  for  carrying  and  proclaiming  the  same 
all  over  the  world  amid  songs  of  halleluia  and 
rejoicing  which  can  never  die.  Deep  in  it  all 
He  has  embedded  the  great  doctrine  of  His 
Cross  and  Passion  as  the  central  thought  and 
brightest  substance  of  the  sublime  and  won- 
derful economy.  And  in  and  amid  it  all  faith 
beholds  Him  in  His  lordly  beauty  stationed 
by  the  true  Pierian  spring,  ever  crying  and 
ever  calling,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  Me,  and  drink." 

"  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to 
the  waters  ;  and  he  that  hath  no  money,  come 
ye,  buy,  and  eat ;    yea,  come,  buy  wine  and 

18*  0 


2IO  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

milk  without  money  and  without  price  ;"  "And 
the  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say,  Come.  And  let 
him  that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him 
that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let 
him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  Blessed 
tidings !  blessed  provision  !  blessed  opportu- 
nity !  O  man  !  awake  to  the  glory  and  drink ; 
drink  deep,  drink  earnestly,  drink  with  all  the 
capacity  of  thy  soul ;  for  thy  Lord  and  Re- 
deemer saith,  "Whosoever  drinketh  of  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  never  thirst ; 
but  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in 
him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  ever- 
lasting life." 

"  The  Fountain  flows !     It  pours  in  fullest  measure 
Of  grace  and  power — a  great  and  plenteous  flood ! 
Drink — drink,  O  man  !     Drink  in  the  crystal  treasure, 
Nor  thirst,  nor  die,  but  live  the  life  of  God." 


Eecture  Jitnti). 

THE  MYSTIC  FISHES. 

John  21  :  6  :  "  And  He  said  unto  them,  Cast  the  net  on  the  right 
side  of  the  ship,  and  ye  shall  find.  They  cast  therefore,  and  now 
they  were  not  able  to  draw  it  for  the  multitude  of  fishes." 

OUR  blessed  Saviour  taught  by  acts,  as 
well  as  words.  He  gave  out  parables 
in  deeds,  as  well  as  in  stories  and  descriptions. 
All  His  works  of  wonder  were  living  allego- 
ries— pictures  and  prophecies  incarnated  in 
visible  and  tangible  facts.  This  is  particu- 
larly true  of  the  miracle  to  which  the  text 
refers.  It  was  a  supernatural  thing,  to  prove 
the  divine  power  of  Him  by  whom  it  was 
wrought ;  but  its  chief  significance  lies  in  its 
symbolic  character  as  an  illustration  of  that 
catching  of  men  by  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  to  which  the  Apostles  were  called 
and  ordained. 

Apostolic  Fishing. 
At  the   beginning  of  his  ministry,   seeing 
Peter  and  Andrew  casting  a  net  into  the  sea, 

211 


212  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

He  said  unto  them,  "  Follow  me,  and  I  will 
make  you  fishers  of  men  ;"  that  is,  ministers 
of  the  Word,  who  by  the  holding  forth  of  the 
truth  were  to  cast  the  great  evangelic  net 
into  the  sea  of  the  world,  and  enclose  people 
as  Christian  believers  and  members  of  the 
Church.  So  He  also  said,  "  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  unto  a  net  that  was  cast  into 
the  sea,  and  gathered  of  every  kind,  which, 
when  it  was  full,  they  drew  to  shore,  and  sat 
down,  and  gathered  the  good  into  vessels,  but 
cast  the  bad  away."  So,  likewise,  when  He 
commanded  Peter  to  launch  out  into  the  deep 
and  let  down  the  nets  for  a  draught,  which  re- 
sulted in  taking  such  a  multitude  of  fishes  that 
the  nets  brake  in  the  drawing,  and  two  boats 
were  loaded  down  to  the  sinking  point  with 
the  product,  He  meant  to  show  the  disciples 
not  only  His  divine  power,  but  a  picture  of 
that  mystic  fishing  on  which  he  was  about  to 
send  them,  and  which  was  to  be  the  work  of 
His  ministers  in  all  the  ages.  And  the  mir- 
acle before  us  is  a  corresponding  picture  of 
the  same  thing — with  this  difference,  that  the 
other  instances  refer  to  the  Church  nominal 
and  visible  as  it  appears  to  human  view,  em- 
bracing both  good  and  bad,  to  be  assorted  in 
the   day  of  judgment ;    whilst   the   reference 


APOSTOLIC  FISHING.  2  I  3 

here  is  to  the  inward,  true,  invisible  Church — 
the  Church  as  it  appears  to  the  eye  of  God — 
which  includes  none  but  the  good,  the  genu- 
ine children  of  grace  and  salvation,  the  def- 
inite number  of  real  saints. 

It  is  thus  abundantly  established  and  clear 
that  in  the  symbology  of  the  Scriptures  and 
the  teachings  of  Christ  the  congregation  of 
those  who  profess  to  believe  in  Him — that  is, 
the  Church — is  likened  to  fishes  enclosed  in 
the  fisherman's  net.  The  world  is  likened  to 
a  sea,  in  which  natural  men  range  without 
control,  following  their  own  likes  and  impulses, 
and  belonging  to  no  one.  So  the  Gospel  is 
likened  to  a  net,  which  the  ministering  ser- 
vants of  the  Lord  spread  in  the  waters  in 
order  to  enclose  and  crather  men — not  to  je_ 

o 

stroy  them,  but  to  secure  them  for  Christ, 
that  they  may  be  held  by  His  word  and  grace 
and  be  His  peculiar  possession.  And  when 
they  are  thus  secured  and  brought  within  the 
enclosure  of  the  influences  and  laws  of  the 
Gospel  as  Christ's  professed  followers,  and 
formed  into  His  congregation,  they  are  His 
mystic  fishes,  caught  by  His  command  and 
direction  and  made  His  peculiar  property. 
The  aptness  of  the  figure  no  one  can  dis- 
pute, and  the  scripturalness  of   the  imagery 


214  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

is  fixed  and  settled  beyond  all  possibility  of 
mistake.  Christ  himself  makes  fishes  the 
symbol  of  His  Church. 

But  as  is  the  picture  in  the  Scriptures,  so 
we  find  in  the  figures  of  the  constellations. 
The  new  life  that  rises  out  of  the  death  of 
the  sacrificial  eoat  is  in  the  form  of  a  laro-e 
and  vigorous  fish.  Those  who  come  to  the 
heavenly  Waterman  to  drink  in  the  stream 
of  living  influences  which  he  pours  down  from 
on  high  are  represented  by  a  great  fish.  And 
as  the  Church  is  the  most  important  institute, 
result,  and  embodiment  of  the  redemptive 
work  and  achievements  of  the  Seed  of  the 
woman,  so  we  have  one  of  the  twelve  signs 
of  the  Zodiac  specially  and  exclusively  de- 
voted to  it ;  and  that  sign  is  the  sign  of  the 
Fishes,  which  we  are  now  to  consider. 

The  Sign  of  Pisces. 
This  constellation  is  now  the  first  in  the 
order  of  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac  ;  but 
in  the  original  order,  which  I  have  been  fol- 
lowing, it  is  the  seventh.  The  figure  by  which 
it  is  represented  consists  of  two  large  fishes, 
one  headed  toward  the  north  pole,  and  the 
other  parallel  with  the  path  of  the  Sun.  They 
are  some  distance  apart,  but  are  tied  to  the 


THE   MYTHS.  21  5 

two  ends  of  a  long,  undulating  band  or  rib- 
bon, which  is  held  by  the  foot  of  the  Ram  in 
the  next  succeeding  sign. 

The  names  of  this  sign  in  Hebrew  and 
Arabic,  as  in  the  Greek  and  Latin,  mean  the 
same  as  in  English — the  Fishes.  In  Syriac  it 
is  called  Niino,  the  Fish  prolonged,  the  fish  with 
the  idea  of  posterity  or  successive  generations. 
In  Coptic  its  name  is  Pi-cot  Orion,  the  Fisky 
congregation,  or  company  of  the  coming  Pj'ince. 
Two  prominent  names  in  the  sign  are  O/cda, 
the  United,  and  Al  Samaca,  the  Upheld.  And 
all  the  indications  connected  with  Pisces  tend 
to  the  conclusion  that  in  these  two  great  fishes 
we  are  to  see  and  read  precisely  what  was 
symbolized  by  Christ  in  the  miracle  to  which 
the  text  refers ;  namely,  a  pictorial  represen- 
tation of  the  Church. 

The  Myths. 
The  origin  of  this  sign,  as  mythology  gives 
it,  is  not  at  variance  with  this  idea.  It  is  said 
that  Venus  and  Cupid  were  one  day  on  the 
banks  of  the  Euphrates,  and  were  there  sur- 
prised by  the  apparition  of  the  giant  monster 
Typhon.  To  save  themselves  they  plunged 
into  the  river,  and  escaped  by  being  changed 
into  fishes — saved  by  transformation  through 


2l6  THE  GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

water.  To  commemorate  the  occurrence  it 
is  said  that  Minerva  placed  these  two  fishes 
among  the  stars. 

We  have  already  noted  some  symbolic  con- 
nection between  the  mythic  Venus  and  the 
Church.  The  ancient  Phoenicians,  according 
to  Nigidius,  asserted  that  she  was  hatched 
from  an  egg  by  a  heavenly  dove.  Cupid,  or 
the  ancient  Eros,  was  held  to  be  the  first-born 
of  the  creation,  one  of  the  causes  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  world,  the  uniting  love-power 
which  brought  order  and  harmony  to  the  con- 
flicting elements  of  Chaos.  The  later  fables  of 
Cupid  are  remote  inventions  out  of  the  orig- 
inal cosmic  Eros,  the  ideas  concerning  whom 
well  agree  with  the  sign,  and  readily  interpret 
in  their  application  to  Christ  and  the  Church. 
Christ  was  "  the  first-born  of  every  creature  " 
(Col.  1:15),  and  is  the  Head  of  "the  general 
assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born,"  who, 
through  His  uniting  love,  combines  the  chaotic 
elements  of  humanity  into  order  and  union 
with  himself,  bringing  into  being  the  mystic 
Woman,  "  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit," 
which  is  part  of  His  own  mystic  organism, 
His  body.  By  that  means  also  those  who 
compose  the  Church  escape  the  hundred- 
headed  enemy  of  God  and  all  good.     And  in 


TWOFOLDNESS   OF   THE    CHURCH.  217 

so  far  as  this  sign  of  the  Fishes  was  divinely 
framed  and  placed  in  the  heavens  to  com- 
memorate this  transformation  and  deliverance 
by  water,  it  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a 
divine  symbol  of  the  Church — the  imperson- 
ation of  escape  from  horrible  confusion  and 
destruction,  as  also  of  that  new-creating  love 
of  God,  the  mother  of  all  holy  order  and 
salvation. 

TWOFOLDNESS    OF   THE    CHURCH. 

These  Fishes  are  two  in  number.  The  gen- 
eral idea  thus  expressed  is  the  idea  of  multi- 
tude, which  is  characteristic  of  all  the  sacred 
promises  relating  to  the  success  of  the  Mes- 
sianic work  among  men.  The  Church,  in 
comparison  with  the  great  unsanctified  world 
around  it,  is  always  a  "  little  flock  " — a  special 
elect  called  out  from  among  the  great  body 
of  mankind  outside  of  itself — just  as  the  fishes 
enclosed  in  a  net  are  but  a  small  portion  of 
the  myriads  that  are  in  the  sea.  But,  in  itself 
considered,  multitudinousness  is  always  one 
of  its  characteristics.  To  Abraham  it  was 
figured  as  the  stars  of  the  sky  and  as  the 
sand  on  the  seashore  for  multitude.  To  Eze- 
kiel  the  sacred  waters  embraced  "  a  very  great 
multitude  of  fish."      Every  symbolic   casting 

19 


2l8  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

of  the  net  at  Christ's  command  took  a  great 
multitude  of  fishes.  The  very  name  carries 
in  it  the  idea  of  multitude,  and  the  duplication 
of  the  symbol  gives  the  still  further  idea  of 
outspread  multiplication — a  glorious  company 
of  Apostles,  a  goodly  fellowship  of  Prophets, 
a  noble  army  of  Martyrs,  a  holy  Church 
throughout  all  the  world. 

But,  beyond  this,  the  Church,  in  historical 
fact  and  development,  is  twofold.  There  was 
a  Church  before  Christ,  and  there  is  a  Church 
since  Christ ;  and  whilst  these  two  make  up 
the  one  universal  Church,  they  are  still  quite 
distinct  in  character.  The  patriarchal  Church, 
which  was  more  definitely  organized  under 
the  institutes  given  by  Moses,  was  one.  It  is 
a  singular  fact  that  the  ancient  rabbis  always 
considered  the  people  of  Israel  as  denoted  by 
this  sign.  The  Sethites  and  Shemites,  and  all 
adherents  to  the  true  God  and  His  promises 
and  worship,  were  by  both  themselves  and 
the  heathen  astronomically  associated  with 
these  Fishes.  They  are  certainly  one  set  of 
the  great  Saviour's  fishes.  The  Christian 
Church,  organized  under  the  institutes  of 
Jesus  Christ,  was  the  other  of  these  Fishes. 
Though  in  some  sense  the  same  old  Church 
reformed,  it  was  still  in  many  respects  quite 


TWO  FOLD  NESS    OF   THE    CHURCH.  2ig 

another — so  much  so  that  it  became  apostasy 
to  turn  from  it  to  "the  beggarly  elements" 
of  the  former  dispensation.  Here,  then,  are 
the  two  great  branches  or  departments  of  the 
one  great  universal  Church  of  the  promised 
Seed  of  the  woman.  To  the  one  His  coming 
was  future,  and  so  it  dealt  in  types,  shadows, 
symbols,  and  figures  of  the  true.  To  the  other 
the  ancient  anticipations  have  passed  into  ac- 
tual fact,  and  exist  as  living  realities,  already 
far  on  the  way  toward  the  final  consummation. 
The  faith  of  both  is  the  same,  and  the  spiritual 
life  of  both  is  the  same.  Hence  both  are  mys- 
tic Fishes.  But  the  stage  of  development,  the 
historical  place  and  condition,  and  the  entire 
external  economy,  are  different,  as  type  and 
antitype  are  different,  though  in  interior  sub- 
stance one  and  the  same.  The  Fish  in  its 
multitudinousness  symbolizes  both.  The  old 
Church  was  the  Fish  arising  out  of  the  slain 
sacrifice  believed  in  in  advance,  and  signified 
in  the  old  ordinances  ;  and  the  new  Church, 
organized  under  Christ,  is  the  Fish  arising 
afresh  out  of  the  same,  which  has  now  become 
an  accomplished  and  existing  reality.  Hence 
the  whole  thing-  was  fore-signified  in  the  stars 
under  the  image  of  two  Fishes,  which  are  in- 
deed two  under  one  method  of  conception,  and 


220  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

yet  one  and  the  same  in  another  method  of. 
conception.  It  is  the  one  Fish  in  both,  yet  two 
Fishes  in  historic  presentation  and  external 
dispensation. 

The  Band. 

The  Decans  of  this  sign  serve  to  bring 
out  this  idea  with  great  clearness.  The  first 
Decan  is  a  very  long  waving  Ribbon  or  Band. 
The  ancient  name  of  it  is  Al  Risha,  the  Band 
or  bridle.  It  is  one,  continuous,  unbroken 
piece,  and  so  doubled  that  one  of  its  ends 
goes  out  to  the  northern  Fish,  and  is  tightly 
bound  around  its  tail ;  whilst  the  other  end 
goes  out  to  the  other  Fish,  and  is  fastened  to 
it  in  the  same  way.  By  this  Band  these  two 
Fishes  are  inseparably  tied  together,  so  that 
the  one  cannot  get  on  without  the  other. 
And  so  the  fact  is.  The  patriarchal  Church 
is  really  tied  to  the  Christian  Church.  The 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  tells  us  that  the  an- 
cient saints,  from  Adam  onward,  could  not 
be  made  perfect  without  us  (chap,  n  :  40). 
The  consummation  of  all  they  hoped  for  was 
inevitably  tied  up  with  what  was  to  be  subse- 
quently achieved  by  Christ,  much  of  which  is 
still  a  matter  of  promise  and  hope.  And  so 
the  Christian  Church  is   really  tied  to  the;  pa- 


THE  BAND.  221 

triarchal  Church.  All  the  necessary  prepara- 
tions and  foundations  for  Christianity  were 
vouchsafed  through  the  Old  Testament. 
What  was  then  testified,  believed,  and  looked 
for  we  must  needs  also  accept,  believe,  and 
take  in.  The  Christian  does  not  stand  just ' 
where  the  ancient  believer  stood,  but  the  old 
was  the  bridge  by  which  the  new  was  reach- 
ed. Christ  came  not  to  destroy  the  law  and 
the  prophets,  but  to  fulfil  them,  and  to  com- 
plete what  they  looked  to  and  anticipated. 
There  could  be  no  Christian  Church  without 
the  patriarchal  going  before  it,  just  as  there 
could  be  no  patriarchal  Church  without  the 
Christian  coming  after  it  to  complete  and  ful- 
fil what  the  old  was  meant  to  prepare  for 
And  here  is  the  Band  of  connection  unalter- 
ably binding  them  together  in  a  unity  which 
still  is  dual. 

The  doubled  part  of  this  Band,  strange  to 
say,  is  in  the  hand  or  front  foot  of  the  sym- 
bolic figure  in  the  next  succeeding  sign  ;  that 
is,  in  the  hand  of  Aries,  the  Ram  or  Lamb. 
The  point  of  unity  between  these  two  Fishes 
is  therefore  in  Christ  and  His  administrations, 
by  which  both  are  equally  affected  and  up- 
held. Both  belong  to  Christ  in  the  attitude 
of  the  reigning  and  victorious  Lamb.     He  up- 

19  * 


222  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

holds,  guides,  and  governs  them  by  one  and 
die  same  Band.  These  Fishes  thus  have  their 
places  and  status  by  His  appointment  and  au- 
thority. They  are  caught  Fishes,  no  longer 
roaming  at  large  according  to  their  own  will. 
They  are  bound  together  in  the  hand  of  the 
glorious  Lamb.  They  are  His.  and  are  up- 
held, governed,  and  made  to  fulfil  their  offices 
and  mission  by  His  power,  will,  and  grace. 
And  this  is  precisely  the  relation  and  condi- 
tion of  the  Church  in  all  dispensations.  Like 
the  net  of  Peter,  which  held,  controlled,  and 
lifted  the  literal  fishes  enclosed  by  it,  so  this 
Band  holds,  controls,  and  lifts  the  mystic  Fishes 
which  constitute  the  Church.  It  is  the  tie  of 
connection  between  all  saints,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  tie  of  connection  between  them  and 
the  glorified  Saviour,  by  whose  word  they 
have  been  taken  and  made  His  precious  pos- 
session. "  Without  Me  ye  can  do  nothing." 
was  His  word  when  on  earth  ;  and  ever  of 
old  His  promise  has  been :  "  Thou  whom  I 
have  taken  from  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and 
called  from  the  chief  men  thereof,  and  said 
unto  thee,  Thou  art  my  servant ;  fear  not, 
for  I  am  with  thee ;  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am 
thy  God  ;  I  will  strengthen  thee  ;  yea,  I  will 
help  thee  ;    yea,  /  will  uphold  thee  with  the 


CEP  HE  US.  223 

right  hand  of  my  righteousness!'     And  here 
is  the  same  word  pictorially  expressed. 

Cepheus. 
Who  the  friend  and  protector  of  these 
Fishes  is,  the  second  accompanying  side-piece 
also  very  sublimely  shows.  Here  is  the  fig- 
ure of  a  glorious  king,  wearing  his  royal  robe, 
bearing  aloft  a  branch  or  sceptre,  and  having 
on  his  head  a  crown  of  stars.  He  is  calmly 
seated  in  the  repose  of  power,  with  one  foot 
on  the  solstitial  colure,  and  the  other  on  the 
pole-star  itself,  whilst  his  right  hand  grasps 
the  Ribbons.  Bearing  with  us  what  the 
Scriptures  tell  of  the  present  exaltation  and 
glory  of  Jesus  Christ,  we  here  behold  every 
particular  so  completely  and  thrillingly  em- 
braced that  the  picture  stands  self-interpreted. 
It  so  vividly  portrays  our  enthroned  Saviour, 
and  fits  so  sublimely  to  Him,  and  to  Him  only, 
that  no  special  prompting  is  necessary  to  en- 
able us  to  see  Hkn  in  it.  And  if  we  need  fur- 
ther assurance  on  the  subject,  we  find  it  in  the 
accompanying  star-names. 

On  the  right  shoulder  of  this  figure,  in 
glittering  brilliancy,  shines  a  star  whose  name, 
Al  Deramin,  means  the  Quickly-rehtrning.  In 
the  girdle  shines  another,  equally  conspicuous 


224  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

whose  name,  Al  Phirk,  means  the  Redeemer. 
In  the  left  knee  is  still  another,  whose  name 
means  the  Shepherd.  The  Egyptians  called 
this  royal  figure  Pe-ku-hor,  the  Rider  that  com- 
eth.  His  more  common  designation  is  Ce- 
pheus,  which  means  the  royal  Branch,  the 
King.  Everything  thus  combines  to  identify 
this  figure  as  intended  to  represent  our  Sa- 
viour as  now  enthroned  in  glory,  even  the 
Seed  of  the  woman,  clothed  with  celestial 
royalty  and  dominion. 

In  the  Zodiac  of  Dendera  the  figure  in  this 
constellation  is  a  laree  front  lee  of  an  animal 
connected  with  a  small  figure  of  a  sheep,  in 
the  same  posture  as  Aries  in  the  next  sign. 
It  is  the  strong  hand  of  the  Lamb,  and  so  the 
same  which  holds  the  Band  of  the  Fishes. 
It  identifies  what  is  otherwise  represented  as 
a  glorious  king  with  the  upholder  of  the 
Fishes,  and  makes  Cepheus  one  and  the  same 
with  the  victorious  Lamb. 

Christ  has  been  really  invested  with  all 
royal  rights  and  dominion.  It  was  predicted 
of  Him  from  of  old,  "  He  shall  bear  the  glory, 
and  shall  sit  and  rule  upon  His  throne"  (Zech. 
6  :  13).  And  so  the  testimony  of  the  Apostles 
is  that,  having  been  made  a  little  lower  than 
the  angels  for  the  suffering  of  death,  and  hav- 


AND  R  OMEDA.  225 

ing  humbled  himself  to  the  cross  for  our  re- 
demption, God  hath  highly  exalted  Him,  and 
set  Him  on  His  own  right  hand  in  the  heav- 
ens, far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and 
might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is 
named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that 
which  is  to  come,  and  hath  put  all  things  un- 
der His  feet,  and  gave  Him  to  be  Head  over 
all  things  to  the  Church,  which  is  His  body, 
the  fulness  of  Him  that  nlleth  all  in  all  (Eph. 
i  :  19-23).  Hence  also  it  is  said  to  all  be- 
lievers, "  Ye  are  complete  in  Him,  which  is 
the  Head  of  all  principality  and  power"  (Col. 
2  :  10).  With  a  high  hand  and  an  outstretched 
arm  He  sitteth  in  royal  majesty  to  help,  up- 
hold, and  deliver  His  Church ;  "  and  of  the 
increase  of  His  government  and  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end." 

Andromeda. 
A  still  further  representation  of  the  Church 
is  supplied  in  the  third  Decan  of  this  sign. 
This  is  the  picture  of  a  beautiful  woman,  with 
fetters  upon  her  wrists  and  ankles,  and  fas- 
tened down  so  as  to  be  unable  to  rise.  This 
woman  in  the  Decan  is  the  same  as  the  Fishes 
in  the  sign.  The  change  of  the  image  argues 
no  change  in  the  subject.     The  Church  is  oft- 

p 


2  26  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

en  a  woman,  and  oftener  than  it  is  a  net  full 
of  fishes  ;  but  it  is  both — sometimes  the  one, 
and  sometimes  the  other — in  the  representa- 
tions of  the  Scriptures.  Besides,  in  some  of 
the  ancient  planispheres  these  Fishes  were 
pictured  with  the  heads  of  women,  thus  iden- 
tifying them  with  the  woman. 

Greek  mythology  calls  this  woman  Andro- 
meda (andro-medo),  man-ruler,  but  with  what 
idea,  or  for  what  reason,  does  not  appear  in 
the  myths.  The  name  is  perhaps  derived 
from  some  ancient  designation  of  similar  sig- 
nificance, which  has  no  meaning  in  the  Greek 
fables,  but  which  covers  a  most  important  and 
inspiring  biblical  representation  respecting  the 
Church.  Here  we  discover  the  true  Andro- 
meda— the  mystic  woman  called  and  appointed 
to  rule  and  guardianship  over  men.  When 
Peter  wished  to  know  what  he  and  his  fellow- 
disciples  should  have  by  way  of  compensa- 
tion for  having  forsaken  everything  for  Christ, 
the  blessed  Master  said :  "  Ye  which  have  fol- 
lowed Me,  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son 
of  man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  His  glory, 
ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging 
the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel"  (Matt.  19:28). 
Hence  Paul  spoke  to  the  Corinthians  as  of  a 
well-understood  fact,  "  Do  ye  not  know  that 


ANDROMEDA.  22? 

the  saints  shall  judge  the  world  ?"  (i  Cor.  6:2). 
Hence  the  enraptured  John  ascribes  everlast- 
ing glory  and  dominion  to  the  divine  Christ, 
not  only  for  washing  us  from  our  sins  in  His 
own  blood,  but  that  He"  hath  made  us  kings 
and  priests  unto  God"  (Rev.  1  :  5,  6).  The 
true  people  of  God,  the  real  Church,  are  the 
elect  kings  of  the  future  ages.  Even  now 
already  they  are  embodiments  and  bearers 
of  the  heavenly  kingdom  and  dominion  upon 
earth.  Through  them  the  word  goes  forth 
for  the  governing  of  men,  and  the  regulation 
of  their  hearts  and  lives,  and  the  bringing  of 
them  under  a  new  spiritual  dominion,  so  that 
none  ever  come  to  forgiveness  and  glory  ex- 
cept as  they  come  into  submission  to  the  truth 
and  the  teachings  of  the  Church.  The  great 
All-Ruler  has  so  united  the  Church  to  him- 
self, and  so  embodied  himself  in  it,  that  by  its 
word,  testimonies,  and  ordinances  He  rules, 
governs,  tutors,  and  guards  men,  and  brings 
them  under  His  saving  dominion.  The  Proph- 
ets, Apostles,  Confessors,  Pastors,  and  Teach- 
ers which  He  has  raised  up  in  the  Chinch, 
with  those  associated  with  them  in  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  same  faith  and  work,  are  the  true 
kings  and  guardians  of  men,  who  have  been 
ruling  from  their  spiritual  thrones  for  all  these 


228  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

ages,  and  will  continue  to  rule  more  and 
more  for  ever  as  the  spiritual  and  eternal 
kingdom  [s  more  and  more  revealed  and  en- 
forced.  Most  significantly,  therefore,  may 
the  Church  be  called  Andromeda;  and  the 
fact  that  the  mystic  woman  in  this  constella- 
tion is  so  called,  with  no  other  known  reason 
for  it,  goes  far  to  identify  her  as  verily  in- 
tended to  be  a  prophetic  picture  of  the  Church, 
which  she  truly  represents  beyond  anything 
else  that  has  ever  been  in  fable  or  in  fact. 

Andrpmeda's  Chains. 
But  this  woman  is  in  chains,  bound  hand 
and  foot.  The  names  in  the  siom  mean  the 
B  'oken-down,  the  Weak,  the  Afflicted,  the 
CJiaiiied.  The  fables  say  that  she  was  the 
daughter  of  Cepheus  and  Cassiopeia,  prom- 
ised to  her  uncle  Phineus  in  marriage,  when 
Neptune  sent  a  flood  and  a  sea-monster  to 
ravage  the  country  in  answer  to  the  resentful 
clamors  of  his  favorite  nymphs  against  Cas- 
siopeia, because  she  boasted  herself  fairer 
than  Juno  and  the  Nereides.  Nor  would  the 
incensed  god  be  pacified  until,  at  the  instance 
of  Jupiter  Ammon,  the  beautiful  Andromeda 
was  exposed  to  the  sea-monster,  chained  to  a 
rock  near  Joppa  in  Palestine,  and  left  to  be 


ANDROMEDA'S  CHAINS.  22Q 

devoured.  But  Perseus,  on  returning  from 
the  conquest  of  the  Gorgons,  rescued  her 
and  made  her  his  bride. 

Here,  then,  was  a  case  of  malignant  jeal- 
ousy and  persecution  resulting  in  the  disa- 
bility, exposure,  and  intended  destruction  of 
an  innocent  person.  And  thus,  again,  we 
have  a  striking  picture  of  the  unfavorable 
side  of  the  Church's  condition  in  this  world. 
Jealous  rivals  hate  her  and  clamor  against 
her.  The  world-powers  in  their  selfishness 
fail  to  protect  her,  and  lend  themselves  for 
her  exposure  and  destruction.  Innocently 
she  is  made  to  suffer.  Though  a  lovely  and 
influential  princess,  she  is  hindered  by  per- 
sonal disabilities  and  bonds.  It  will  not  be 
so  always.  The  time  will  come  when  those 
bonds  shall  be  broken  and  that  exposure 
ended.  There  is  One  en^a^ed  m  a  war  wjth 
the  powers  of  darkness  and  the  children  of 
hell  who  will  presently  come  this  way  to  res- 
cue and  deliver  the  fair  maiden  and  to  make 
her  His  glorious  bride.  But  for  the  present 
affliction  and  hardship  are  appointed  to  her. 
She  cannot  move  as  she  would,  or  enjoy  what 
pertains  to  her  royal  character,  her  innocence, 
and  her  beauty.  She  is  bound  to  the  hard, 
cold,  and  ponderous  rock  of  this  earthly  life, 
20 


23O       THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Born  to  reign  with  her  redeeming  Lord,  Apos- 
tles can  only  wish  that  she  did  reign,  that 
they  might  reign  with  her.  She  is  within  thes 
sacred  territory,  but  it  is  as  yet  a  place  of 
captivity  and  bonds.  She  never  can  be  truly 
herself  in  this  mortal  life.  Nor  is  she  com- 
pletely free  from  the  oppressive  Phineus  un- 
til the  victorious  Perseus  comes.  The  whole 
picture  is  true  to  the  life,  and  shows  with  what 
profound  prophetic  foresight  and  knowledge 
the  makers  of  these  signs  were  endowed. 

Ill-Favor  of  the  Church. 
Among  the  ancients  the  Zodiacal  Pisces 
was  considered  the  most  unfavorable  of  all 
the  signs.  The  astrological  calendars  de- 
scribe  its  influences  as  malignant,  and  inter- 
pret its  emblems  as  indicative  of  violence  and 
death.  The  Syrians  and  the  Egyptians  large- 
ly abstained  from  the  eating  of  fish,  from  the 
dread  and  abhorrence  which  they  associated 
with  the  Fishes  in  the  Zodiac.  In  the  hiero- 
glyphics of  Egypt  the  fish  is  the  symbol  of 
odiousness,  dislike,  and  hatred.  And  this, 
too,  falls  in  exactly  with  our  interpretation. 
The  earthly  condition  and  fortunes  of  the 
Church  are  nothing  but  unfavorable  and  re- 
pulsive  to  the  tastes  and  likes  of  carnal  and 


ILL- FAVOR    OF   THE    CHURCH.  23  I 

self-seeking  man.  The  restraints  and  disabil- 
ities  which  go  along  with  it  are  what  the  world 
hates,  derides,  and  rebels  against.  These 
Bands  that  bind  the  Fishes  together,  and  hold 
them  with  bridles  of  heavenly  command  and 
control,  and  enclose  them  with  meshes  be- 
yond which  they  cannot  pass,  are  what  un- 
sanctified  humanity  disdains  as  humiliation 
and  reckons  as  adversity  to  the  proper  joy 
and  good  of  life.  Though  people  can  sus- 
tain no  charges  against  the  Church,  and  can- 
not deny  her  princely  beauty,  yet  to  take 
sides  with  her  is  to  them  nothing  but  flood, 
drowning,  and  devastation  to  what  they  most 
cherish  and  admire.  Let  her  be  chained,  dis- 
abled, exposed  and  devoured,  if  need  be,  only 
so  that  they  are  exempt  from  association  with 
her !  Let  her  suffer,  and  let  her  be  given  to 
death  and  destruction,  the  more  and  the  soon- 
er the  better  if  they  only  can  thereby  have 
the  greater  freedom  for  their  likes,  passions, 
and  enjoyments  uncurbed  and  unrestrained ! 
This  is  the  feeling  and  this  the  spirit  which 
have  obtained  toward  the  Church  in  all  the 
ages.  And  the  dislike  of  men  to  this  sign  is 
but  the  filling  out  of  the  picture  in  the  stars 
as  I  have  been  expounding  it.  It  is  another 
link  in   the   chain  of  evidence   that  we  have 


232  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

here  a  divine  symbol  of  the  Church  in  its 
earthly  estate  and  career.  The  coincidences, 
to  say  the  least,  are  very  marvellous.  To  say 
that  the  Church  has  been  formed  from  and  to 
the  signs,  as  French  infidelity  would  have  it, 
is  in  the  highest  degree  absurd.  The  Church 
has  not  accepted  humiliation,  disability,  con- 
tempt, hatred,  and  oppression  from  the  world 
just  to  conform  herself  to  the  indications  con- 
nected with  Pisces  ;  and  yet  her  condition  to- 
day, as  in  all  other  time,  is  precisely  that  which 
this  sign  represents,  and  has  been  represent- 
ing on  the  face  of  the  sky  for  all  these  four  or 
five  thousand  years.  The  sign  has  in  no  sense 
or  degree  conditioned  the  Church,  and  yet  it 
truly  represents  the  estate  of  the  Church  in 
all  generations.  To  what  other  conclusion, 
then,  can  we  come  than  that  the  sign  in  its 
place,  and  the  whole  system  of  signs  of  which 
it  forms  a  conspicuous  part,  is  from  that  good 
and  infallible  prescience  which  knows  the 
course  and  end  of  all  things  from  the  begin- 
ning ?  Let  those  doubt  it  who  will ;  for  my 
own  part,  I  have  no  doubt  upon  the  subject. 


Hccture  Sentij. 

THE  BLESSED    OUTCOME. 

Rev.  5:12:  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power, 
and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
blessing." 

THIS  is  the  myriad-voiced  response  of 
die  heavenly  world  to  the  triumphant 
song  of  the  redeemed  after  the  Church  has 
run  its  earthly  course.  It  immediately  follows 
that  time,  now  near  at  hand,  when  the  great 
voice  from  the  sky,  as  of  a  trumpet,  shall  say, 
to  all  the  holy  dead  and  to  all  God's  saints, 
"  Come  up  hither."  The  whole  scene  rep- 
resents that  heavenly  condition  of  the  elect 
to  be  realized  at  the  fulfilment  of  the  apos- 
tolic word,  which  says,  "  The  Lord  himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with 
the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump 
of  God :  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first : 
then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be 
caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds, 
to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air"  (1  Thess.  4:  16, 
17).     It  is   the    same    scene    to  which    Jesus 

20*  233 


234  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

himself  referred  when  He  said :  "  Whereso- 
ever the  body  is,  thither  will  the  eagles  be 
gathered  together"  (Luke  17  :  37).  And  it 
is  precisely  this  scene  that  is  signified  by  the 
eighth  sioqi  of  the  Zodiac — the  last  of  the 
quaternary  relating  more  especially  to  the 
Church. 

The  text  celebrates  the  worthiness,  glory, 
and  dominion  of  the  Lamb,  who  is  further  de- 
scribed as  appearing  to  have  been  slain,  but 
here  as  standing  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
having  the  perfection  of  strength  and  wisdom, 
and  the  fulness  of  spiritual  and  divine  energy 
operative  in  the  world  for  the  complete  sal- 
vation of  His  people ;  for  this  is  what  is 
meant  by  the  "  seven  horns  and  seven  eyes — 
the  seven  Spirits  of  God  sent  forth  into  all 
the  earth."  And  in  the  sign  of  Aries  we 
have  this  same  Lamb,  or  Prince  of  the  flock, 
the  Son  of  man  as  the  Head,  Sacrifice,  and 
High  Priest  of  the  Church,  lifted  up  upon  the 
path  of  the  Sun,  looking  forth  in  the  repose 
of  power,  and  working  that  very  translation 
and  glorification  of  His  people  which  the 
Scriptures  everywhere  set  before  us  as  the 
blessed  hope  of  all  saints. 

To  this  interesting  presentation,  then,  let 
us  now  direct  our  attention. 


THE   SIGN  OF  ARIES.  2$$ 

•s 

The  Sign  of  Aries. 

The  figure  here  is  that  of  a  vigorous  Ram. 
It  is  called  Aries,  the  Chief,  the  Head ;  as  Ar- 
yan means  the  Lordly.  So  Christ  is  the  Chief, 
the  Head  and  Lord  of  His  Church.  The 
English  name,  Ram,  means  high,  great,  ele- 
vated, lifted  up.  In  Syriac  the  name  is  Amroo, 
the  Lamb,  the  same  as  John  i  :  29,  where  it  is 
said,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world  ;"  also  the  Branch, 
the  Palm-branch,  recognized  by  the  Jews  as 
denotive  of  Christ's  royal  coming  to  His 
Church.  The  Arabic  calls  this  figure  Al 
Hamal,  the  Sheep,  the  Gentle,  the  Merciful. 
The  principal  stars  included  in  this  figure  are 
called  El  Nath  or  El  Natik,  and  Al  Sharetan, 
which  mean  the  Wounded,  the  Bruised,  the 
Slain.  Over  the  head  of  the  figure  is  a  ^r[. 
angle,  which  the  old  Greeks  said  exhibited 
the  name  of  the  Deity,  and  its  principal  star 
bears  a  name  signifying  the  Head,  the  Up- 
lifted, hence  the  Lamb  exalted  to  the  divine 
glory,  to  the  throne  of  the  all-holy  One. 

It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  all  this 
could  have  happened  by  mere  accident.  There 
was  manifestly  some  intelligent  design  by 
which    the    whole    was    arranged.      And   the 


236  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

entire  presentation  is  in  thorough  accord  with 
what  the  Scriptures  say  concerning  the  Seed 
of  the  woman.  As  the  Son  of  man  He  is 
continually  represented  as  the  Head  and 
Prince  of  the  flock,  the  Lamb — "  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain" — the  Lamb  lifted  to  divine 
dominion  and  glory.  In  His  pure,  meek,  and 
sacrificial  character  the  Scriptures  style  Christ 
"  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world."  In  His  exaltation  He  is 
represented  as  "  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne."  In  the  administrations  of  judgment 
upon  the  wicked  world  He  is  contemplated 
as  the  Lamb,  whose  wrath  is  unbearable.  As 
the  Bridegroom  and  Husband  of  the  Church 
He  is  also  the  Lamb,  to  whose  marriaee- 
supper  the  Gospel  calls  us.  As  the  Keeper 
of  the  Book  of  life  in  which  the  names  of  the 
saints  are  written,  the  Lifter  of  the  title-deed 
of  our  inheritance,  and  the  Breaker  of  the 
seals  by  which  the  earth  is  purged  of  usurpers 
and  the  mystery  of  God  completed,  He  is 
presented  as  "  the  Lamb."  As  the  conso- 
ciate  of  the  eternal  Father  in  the  joy  and 
sovereignty  of  the  world  to  come,  in  which 
the  saints  glory  for  ever  and  ever,  He  is  still 
referred  to  as  "  the  Lamb,"  by  whose  blood 
they  overcome  and  in  whose  light  they  live 


THE   MYTHIC  STORIES.  2$J 

world  without  end.    And  in  whatever  attitude 
He  appears,  back  of  all  He  is  still  the  Lamb. 

The  Mythic  Stories. 
The  mythic  stories  concerning  Aries  still 
further  identify  him  with  the  Lamb  of  the  text. 
This  noble  and  mysterious  animal  was  given 
by  Nephele  to  her  two  children,  Phrixus  and 
Helle,  when  Ino,  their  mortal  stepmother,  was 
about  to  have  them  sacrificed  to  Jupiter.  It 
was  by  seating  themselves  on  its  back  and 
clinging  to  its  fleece  that  they  were  to  make 
their  escape.  Nephele  means  the  Cloud.  She 
is  reputed  the  queen  of  Thebes  ;  and  Thebes 
was  the  house,  city,  or  congregation  of  God. 
We  thus  have  the  cloud  over  God's  house,  or 
congregation,  precisely  as  the  Scriptures  tell 
of  the  cloud  of  God's  gracious  manifestations 
to  His  ancient  people — in  their  deliverance 
from  Egypt,  in  their  journeyings  in  the  wil- 
derness, atid  in  their  worship  in  the  taber- 
nacle and  the  temple.  God  visibly  dealt  with 
them  as  their  merciful  Guide,  Instructor,  Pro- 
tector, and  Ruler  ;  and  His  gracious  presence 
was  almost  uniformly  manifested  in  the  form 
of  the  cloud.  Also  in  Job's  time  "  thick 
clouds"  were  His  covering.  It  was  by  these 
cloud-manifestations  that  He  called  and  form- 


238  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ed  the  congregation  of  His  people,  assembled 
them  around  Him,  and  kept  them  in  commu- 
nion with  himself  as  His  Church  or  city. 

The  two  children  of  the  cloud  are  therefore 
the  same  with  the  two  Fishes  in  the  preceding 
sign ;  that  is,  the  multitudinous  twofold  Church, 
which  is  born  of  these  merciful  divine  manifes- 
tations. These  children  were  all  under  sen- 
tence of  death.  So  the  Church,  consisting-  of 
men  who  had  fallen  under  the  power  of  in- 
coming sin,  was  in  danger  of  being  sacrificed. 
From  such  a  fate  believers  are  delivered  by 
means  of  the  blest  "  Lamb  of  God,  which  tak- 
eth  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 

This  Lamb  was  furnished  to  these  children 
from  the  same  cloud  of  which  they  themselves 
are  born  ;  and  so  Christ  was  begotten  by  the 
power  of  the  Highest  coming  upon  and  over- 
shadowing the  Virgin  of  Nazareth,  and  upon 
himself  at  His  baptism  and  transfiguration. 

The  safety  of  these  children  of  the  cloud 
rested  exclusively  in  this  Lamb,  and  so  the 
name  of  Jesus  is  the  only  name  given  under 
heaven  among  men  whereby  we  can  be  saved. 
Both  of  them  in  fact  were  safe,  and  carried  far 
aloft  from  Ino's  reach  and  power,  so  long  as 
they  both  continued  firmly  seated  on  this 
Lamb ;  and  so  the  Church  is  lifted  far  above 


THE   MYTHIC  STORIES.  239 

all  condemnation  by  virtue  of  its  being  plant- 
ed on  Jesus  Christ  as  its  Help  and  Redeemer. 
Helle,  one  of  these  cloud-children,  became 
giddy  in  the  heavenly  elevation  to  which  she 
was  lifted  by  this  Lamb,  lost  her  hold  upon 
his  back,  and  fell  off  into  the  sea,  thereafter 
called  Hellespont,  or  Helle's  Sea ;  and  so  the 
antediluvian  Church  apostatized  and  was 
drowned  in  the  flood ;  as  likewise  the  Israel- 
itish  Church,  becoming  giddy  in  its  sublime 
elevation,  let  go  its  hold  on  the  Lamb  by  re- 
jecting Christ,  and  dropped  from  its  heavenly 
position  into  the  sea  of  the  common  world. 
Phrixus,  the  more  manly  part  of  this  mystic 
cloud-seed,  held  on  to  the  mystic  Lamb,  and 
was  brought  in  safety  to  Colchis,  the  citadel  of 
reconciliation,  the  city  of  refuge.  So  likewise 
there  has  ever  been  a  true  people  of  God  re- 
maining faithful  amid  the  apostasies  around 
them,  who  never  let  go  their  hold  on  the 
Lamb  of  God,  and  are  securely  borne  to  the 
citadel  of  peace  and  salvation. 

Nephele's  Lamb  was  sacrificed  to  Jupiter 
as  those  who  were  saved  by  him  would  have 
been  without  him ;  and  so  Christ,  the  true 
Aries,  was  sacrificed  for  us,  and  died  in  our 
stead.  He  is  "the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world."     And  it  was  this  Lamb 


240  THE   GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS. 

of  Nephele  that  yielded  the  Golden  Fleece, 
which  made  him  who  possessed  it  the  envy 
of  kings,  and  which  constituted  the  highest 
treasure  to  be  found  by  the  children  of  men. 
And  this,  again,  is  a  most  striking  image  of 
the  heavenly  robe  of  Christ's  meritorious 
righteousness,  the  sublimest  and  most  en- 
riching treasure  and  ornament  of  the  Church, 
which  ever  sin^s — 

o 

"  Jesus,  Thy  blood  and  righteousness 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress ; 
'Midst  flaming  worlds,  in  these  arrayed, 
With  joy  shall  I  lift  up  my  head." 

It  is  wonderful  to  see  how  these  traditional 
legends  of  the  constellations  interpret  on  the 
theory  that  they  have  come  from  prophecies 
and  sacred  beliefs  touching  the  promised  Seed 
of  the  woman  and  the  Church  which  He  has 
purchased  with  His  blood. 

It  is  also  worthy  of  remark  that  the  Egypt- 
ians celebrated  a  sacred  feast  to  the  Ram  upon 
the  entrance  of  the  Sun  into  the  sign  of  Aries. 
They  prepared  for  it  before  the  full  moon  next 
to  the  spring  equinox,  and  on  the  fourteenth 
day  of  that  moon  all  Egypt  was  in  joy  over 
the  dominion  of  the  Ram.  Everybody  put 
foliage  or  boughs,  or  some  mark  of  the  feast, 
over  his  door.     The  people  crowned  the  ram 


THE  MYTHIC  STORIES.  24 1 

with  flowers,  carried  him  with  extraordinary 
pomp  in  grand  processions,  and  rejoiced  in 
him  to  the  utmost.  It  was  then  that  the  horn 
was  full.  The  ancient  Persians  had  a  similar 
festival  of  Aries.  For  all  this  it  is  hard  to 
account  except  in  connection  with  what  was 
prophetically  signified  by  Aries.  But  taken 
in  relation  to  what  the  Scriptures  foretell  of 
the  Lamb,  in  the  period  when  He  shall  take 
to  Him  His  great  power  for  the  deliverance 
and  glorification  of  His  Church,  we  can  easily 
see  how  this  would  come  to  be  one  of  the 
very  gladdest  and  most  exultant  of  the  sacred 
feasts.  It  is  when  the  Lamb  thus  comes  upon 
the  throne,  and  appears  for  the  taking  up  of 
the  deeds  of  the  inheritance,  the  gladdest  pe- 
riod in  all  the  history  of  the  Church  and  peo- 
ple of  God  is  come.  Then  it  is  that  the  songs 
break  forth  in  heaven  in  tremendous  volume 
of  Worthiness,  and  Blesssing,  and  Honor,  and 
Glory  to  the  Lamb  for  redeeming  men  by  His 
blood,  and  making  them  kings  and  priests 
unto  God,  and  certifying  unto  them  that  now 
they  "  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 

And  when  we    turn   to   the  accompanying 
Decans  of  this  sign,  the  very  work  and  do- 
ings ascribed  to  the  Lamb  in   this  entrance 
upon  His  great  power  are  still  more  specific- 
.     21  Q 


242  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ally  set  before  us,  in  which  the  joy  in  Him  on 
the  part  of  His  Church  and  people  comes  to 
its  culmination.     The  first  of  these  is 

Cassiopeia. 

This  is  nothing  less  than  a  picture  of  the 
true  Church  of  God  lifted  up  out  of  all  evils, 
bonds,  and  disabilities,  and  seated  with  her 
glorious  Redeemer  in  heaven.  The  figure  is 
that  of  a  queenly  woman,  matchless  in  beauty, 
seated  in  exalted  dignity,  with  her  foot  on  the 
Arctic  Circle,  on  which  her  chair  likewise  is 
set.  In  one  hand  she  holds  aloft  the  branch 
of  victory  and  triumph,  and  with  the  other 
she  is  spreading  and  arranging  her  hair,  as 
if  preparing  herself  for  some  great  public 
manifestation.  Albumazer  says  this  woman 
was  anciently  called  "  the  daughter  of  splen- 
dor," hence  "  the  glorified  woman."  Her 
common  name  is  Cassiopeia,  the  beautiful, 
the  enthroned ;  or,  as  Pluche  derives  the 
name,  the  Boundary  of  Typhous  power,  the 
Delivered  from  all  evil.  The  constellation  it- 
self is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  heav- 


ens. 


"  Wide  her  stars 
Dispersed,  nor  shine  with  mutual  aid  improved; 
Nor  dazzle,  brilliant  with  contiguous  flame  : 
Their  number  fifty-five." 


CASSIOPEIA.  243 

Four  stars  of  the  third  magnitude,  which  nev- 
er  set,  form  the  seat  upon  which  this  woman 
sits.  The  star  on  her  rieht  side  is  on  the 
equinoctial  colure,  and  on  a  straight  line  with 
Al  Pherats  in  Andromeda's  cheek  to  the  north 
pole.  The  constellation  embraces  a  binary 
star,  a  triple  star,  a  double  star,  a  quadruple 
star,  and  an  extraordinary  number  of  star- 
clusters  of  similar  constituents  to  the  general 
field  of  greater  stars. 

About  three  hundred  years  ago  there  oc- 
curred in  this  constellation  what  was  a  great 
mystery  to  astronomers.  A  star,  surpassing 
in  brilliancy  and  splendor  all  the  fixed  stars, 
suddenly  appeared  on  the  tenth  of  Novem- 
ber, 1572,  and,  after  shining  in  continuous 
glory  for  sixteen  months,  disappeared,  and 
has  never  since  been  seen,  just  as  the  Church 
disappears  in  the  shadow  of  death,  or  is  pres- 
ently to  be  caught  away  to  the  invisible  world. 

And  if  there  is  any  one  constellation  of 
the  sky,  or  any  figure  among  these  celestial 
frescoes,  specially  fitted  to  be  the  symbol  and 
representative  of  the  Church,  particularly  in 
its  enfranchised  and  glorified  condition,  it  is 
this.  The  names  are  equally  significant.  The 
first  star  marking  the  figure  of  this  woman 
is  called  Shedar,  which  means  the  Freed,  and 


244  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

Ruchbah  and  Dat  al  Cursa,  signifying  the  En- 
throned, the  Seated.  On  her  right  hand  is  also 
the  glorious  star-crowned  King,  holding  out 
his  sceptre  toward  her,  whilst  all  the  accounts 
pronounce  her  his  wife,  just  as  the  Scriptures 
everywhere  describe  the  Church  as  affianced 
to  Christ,  hereafter  to  be  married  to  Him  as 
"  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife." 

Cassiopeia  is  universally  represented  as 
the  mother  of  Andromeda  ;  and  so  the  Apos 
tie  refers  to  the  heavenly  Church  as  the  moth 
er  of  the  earthly  Church.  The  Jerusalem 
that  is  above  "  is  the  mother  of  us  all."  The 
whole  presentation  is  that  of  deliverance  and 
heavenly  triumph,  precisely  as  we  speak  of 
the  Church  triumphant ;  and  the  ready-mak- 
ing is  for  the  great  marriage  ceremonial. 
(Compare  Rev.  19  :  7,  8.) 

The  perfection  of  this  woman's  beauty, 
fairer  than  Juno  and  the  envy  of  all  the 
nymphs  of  the  sea,  likewise  answers  exactly 
to  the  Scripture  descriptions  of  the  Church : 
"  Thy  renown  went  forth  among  the  heathen 
for  thy  beauty  ;  for  it  was  perfect  through  my 
comeliness,  which  I  put  upon  thee,  saith  the 
Lord"  (Ezek.  16:14).  Christ  is  to  present 
it  to  himself,  "  a  glorious  Church,  not  having 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,  but  holy 


CETUS.  245 

and  without  blemish"  (Eph.  5  :  27).  Cassio- 
peia is  an  enthroned  queen  ;  and  this  is  also 
uniformly  the  biblical  picture  of  the  Church 
when  once  it  comes  to  enter  upon  its  prom- 
ised glory.  John  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat 
upon  them,  and  they  reigned  with  Christ. 
And  it  was  further  said  that  so  "  they  shall 
reign  for  ever  and  ever."  The  Church  is 
"the  queen  in  gold  of  Ophir"  of  which  the 
Psalmist  (45  :  9)  so  enthusiastically  sung. 

Cetus. 
But  when  the  time  comes  for  the  Church  to 
enter  upon  her  royal  exaltation  and  authority, 
another  very  important  and  marked  event  is 
to  occur.  John  beheld  it  in  apocalyptic  vision, 
and  writes  :  "  I  saw  an  anorel  come  down  from 
heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit 
and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  And  he  laid 
hold  on  the  Dragon,  that  old  Serpent,  which 
is  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a 
thousand  years,  and  cast  him  into  the  bottom- 
less pit,  and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon 
him,  that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  no 
more,  till  the  thousand  years  are  fulfilled ;  and 
after  that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season " 
(Rev.  20  :  1-3).  And  this  is  pictorially  given 
in  the  second  Decan  of  Aries. 
21  * 


246  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

The  picture  is  that  of  a  great  sea-monster 
(Cetus),  the  true  Leviathan  of  Job  and  Isaiah, 
which  covers  the  largest  space  of  any  one 
figure  in  the  sky.  It  is  a  vast  scaly  beast, 
with  enormous  head,  mouth,  and  front  paws, 
and  having  the  body  and  tail  of  a  whale.  It 
is  generally  called  "the  Whale"  on  our  plani- 
spheres. It  is  an  animal  of  the  waters  and 
marshes,  and  the  natural  enemy  and  devourer 
of  the  fishes.  It  is  the  same  which  the  sea- 
god  sent  to  devour  Andromeda,  and  hence 
the  particular  foe  and  persecutor  of  the 
Church.  It  is  a  downward  constellation,  bor- 
dering on  the  lower  regions.  One  of  its  cha- 
racteristic stars,  Mira,  situated  in  the  neck 
of  the  scaly  monster,  is  the  most  wonderfully 
variable  and  unsteady  in  the  heavens.  From 
a  star  of  the  second  magnitude  it  dwindles 
away  so  as  to  become  invisible  once  in  about 
every  three  hundred  days,  and  Hevelius  af 
firms  that  it  once  disappeared  for  the  space 
of  four  years.  It  is  a  striking  symbol  of  the 
arch-Deceiver,  and,  singularly  enough,  its  name 
means  the  Rebel.  And  what  is  specially  re- 
markable in  the  case  is,  that  the  doubled  end 
of  the  Band  which  upholds  the  Fishes,  after 
passing  the  front  foot  or  hand  of  the  Lamb, 
is  fastened  on  the  neck  of  this  monster,  and 


CE  TUS.  247 

holds  him  firmly  bound.  The  name  of  die 
first  of  the  Cetus  stars,  Mcnkar,  refers  to 
this ;  for  Menkar  means  the  chained  Enemy. 
And  so  the  name  of  the  second  star,  Diphda, 
means  the  Overthrown,  the  Thrust-down. 

Satan  is  loose  now.  Peter  writes  :  "  Your 
adversary,  the  Devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walk- 
eth  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour " 
(Pet.  5:8).  God  speaks  of  him,  and  puts  the 
confounding  questions :  "  Canst  thou  draw  out 
Leviathan  with  an  hook  ?  or  his  tongue  with 
the  cord  which  thou  lettest  down  ?  Canst 
thou  put  a  hook  into  his  nose  ?  or  bore  his 
jaw  through  with  a  thorn  ?  Will  he  make 
many  supplications  unto  thee  ?  will  he  speak 
soft  words  unto  thee  ?  Will  he  make  a  cov- 
enant with  thee  ?  wilt  thou  take  him  for  a 
servant  for  ever  ?  Wilt  thou  play  with  him 
as  with  a  bird  ?  or  wilt  thou  bind  him  for  thy 
maidens  ?  Shall  thy  companions  make  a  ban- 
quet of  him  ?  shall  they  part  him  among  the 
merchants?  Canst  thou  fill  his  skin  with 
barbed  irons  ?  or  his  head  with  fish-spears  ? 
Behold,  the  hope  of  him  is  in  vain  :  shall  not 
one  be  cast  down  even  at  the  sight  of  him  ? 
None  is  so  fierce  that  dare  stir  him  up"  (Job 
41  :  t-io).  But  he  whom  no  man  can  take 
or  bind,  the  Lamb  has  in  His  power,  and  will 


248  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

yet  lay  hold  upon,  and  fasten  with  a  great 
chain,  from  which  he  cannot  break  away.  By 
the  same  power  with  which  He  upholds  the 
Fishes  He  restrains  the  devouring  Enemy ; 
and  with  that  same  power  He  will  yet  fasten 
up  the  monster  for  final  destruction.  Of  old, 
Isaiah  prophesied  of  a  day  when  "  the  Lord 
with  His  sore  and  great  and  strong  sword 
shall  punish  Leviathan  the  piercing  Serpent, 
even  Leviathan  that  crooked  Serpent,  and  He 
shall  slay  the  Dragon  that  is  in  the  sea  "  (Isa. 
27  :  1).  And  here  we  have  the  same  fore- 
pictured  in  the  stars,  showing  how  the  en- 
throned Lamb  will  bind  and  punish  Leviathan, 
even  as  the  written  word  of  prophecy  de- 
scribes. The  sign  in  the  heavens  answers 
precisely  to  the  descriptions  in  the  Book, 
proving  that  one  is  of  the  same  piece  with  the 
other,  and  that  both  are  from  the  same  eter- 
nal Spirit  which  has  moved  to  show  us  things 
to  come. 

Perseus. 
But  in  still  greater  vigor  and  animation  is 
this  whole  scene  set  out  in  the  third  accom- 
panying side-piece  to  this  sign  of  the  enthroned 
Lamb.  Micah  (2  :  12,  13)  prophesies  of  a  time 
when  the  flock  of  God  shall  be  gathered,  their 


PERSEUS.  249 

King  pass  before  them,  and  the  Lord  on  the 
head  of  them ;  and  says  that  this  shall  be 
when  "  the  Breaker  is  come  up  before  them." 
Whatever  may  have  been  in  the  foreground 
of  this  prediction,  it  is  agreed  that  "  the  Break- 
er "  here  must  needs  be  Christ,  the  very  Lamb 
of  our  text,  breaking  the  way  of  His  people 
through  all  the  doors  and  gates  of  their  pres- 
ent imprisonment  and  disability,  and  dashing 
to  pieces  all  the  antagonizing  powers  which 
stand  in  the  way  of  their  full  deliverance 
and  redemption.  So  the  Lamb  in  the  Apoc- 
alypse is  the  Breaker  of  the  seals  and  of  apos- 
tate nations,  the  same  as  the  Son  in  the  sec- 
ond Psalm.  And  this  Breaker,  in  these  very 
acts,  is  the  precise  picture  in  this  constel- 
lation. 

Here  is  the  figure  of  a  mighty  man,  step- 
ping with  one  foot  on  the  brightest  part  of 
the  Milky  Way,  wearing  a  helmet  on  his  head 
and  wings  on  his  feet,  holding  aloft  a  great 
sword  in  his  right  hand,  and  carrying  away 
the  blood- dripping  head  of  the  Gorgon  in  his 
left.  His  name  in  the  constellation  is  Perets, 
Grsecised  Perses  or  Perseus,  the  same  as  in 
Micah's  prophecy — the  Breaker.  The  name 
of  the  star  by  his  left  foot  is  Atik,  He  zuho 
breaks.     The    name    of  the   briehtest  middle 


250  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

star  in  the  figure  is  Al  Genib,  the  One  who 
carries  away,  and  Mirfak,  Who  helps.  And 
when  Perseus  comes  to  the  meridian  the  most 
brilliant  portion  of  the  starry  heavens  opens 
out  its  sublimest  maenificence  in  the  eastern 
hemisphere. 

The  Myths. 
Now,  one  of  the  most  beloved  and  admired 
of  all  the  hero-gods  of  mythology  was  this 
Perseus.  He  was  the  son  of  the  divine  Father, 
who  came  upon  Danse  in  the  form  of  a  shower 
of  eold.  No  sooner  was  he  born  than  he  and 
his  mother  were  put  into  a  chest  and  cast  into 
the  sea  ;  but  Jupiter  so  directed  that  they  were 
rescued  by  the  fishermen  on  the  coast  of  one 
of  the  Cyclades,  and  carried  to  the  king,  who 
treated  them  with  great  kindness,  and  entrust- 
ed to  them  the  care  of  the  temple  of  the  god- 
dess of  wisdom.  His  rising  genius  and  great 
courage  made  him  a  favorite  of  the  gods.  At 
a  great  feast  of  the  king,  at  which  the  nobles 
were  expected  to  make  some  splendid  pres- 
ent to  their  sovereign,  Perseus,  who  was  so 
specially  indebted  to  the  king's  favors,  not 
wishing  to  be  behind  the  rest  or  feebler  in 
his  expressions  than  were  his  obligations, 
engaged  to  bring  the  head  of  Medusa,   the 


THE   MYTHS.  2$  I 

only  one  of  the  three  horrible  Gorgons  sub- 
ject to  mortality. 

These  Gorgons  were  fabled  beings,  with 
bodies  grown  indissolubly  together  and  cov- 
ered with  impenetrable  scales.  They  had 
tusks  like  boars,  yellow  wings,  and  brazen 
hands,  and  were  very  dangerous.  Their 
heads  were  full  of  serpents  in  place  of  hair, 
and  their  very  looks  had  power  to  turn  to 
stone  any  one  on  whom  they  fixed  their  gaze. 
To  equip  Perseus  for  his  expedition  Pluto 
lent  him  his  helmet,  which  had  the  power  of 
rendering  the  wearer  invisible ;  and  Minerva 
furnished  him  with  her  buckler,  resplendent 
as  a  polished  mirror;  and  Mercury  gave  him 
wines  for  his  feet  and  a  diamond  sword  for 
his  hand.  Thus  furnished,  he  mounted  into 
the  air,  led  by  the  goddess  of  wisdom,  and 
came  upon  the  tangled  monsters.     He, 

"  In  the  mirror  of  his  polished  shield 
Reflected,  saw  Medusa  slumbers  take, 
And  not  one  serpent  by  good  chance  awake  ; 
Then  backward  an  unerring  blow  he  sped, 
And  from  her  body  lopped  at  once  her  head." 

Grasping  the  same  in  his  left  hand,  he  again 
mounted  into  the  air,  and 

"  O'er  Lybia's  sands  his  airy  journey  sped ; 
The  gory  drops  distilled  as  swift  he  flew, 
And  from  each  drop  envenomed  serpents  grew.'' 


252  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

By  this  victory  he  was  rendered  immortal, 
and  took  his  place  among  the  stars,  ever 
holding  fast  the  reeking  head  of  the  Gorgon. 
It  was  on  his  return  from  this  brave  deed  that 
he  saw  the  beautiful  Andromeda  chained  to 
the  rock,  and  the  terrible  monster  of  the  sea 
advancing  to  devour  her.  On  condition  that 
she  should  become  his  wife,  he  broke  her 
chains,  plunged  his  sword  into  the  monster 
that  sought  her  life,  fought  off  and  turned  to 
stone  the  tyrant  Phineus  who  sought  to  pre- 
vent the  wedding,  and  made  Andromeda  his 
bride,  begetting  many  worthy  sons  and  daugh- 
ters, and  by  varied  administrations  of  mirac- 
ulous power  changing  portions  of  the  earth 
and  its  governments  and  rulers,  returning  be- 
times to  bless  the  countries  that  honored  him. 

Perseus  and  Christ. 
No  natural  events  in  the  seasons  or  in  the 
history  of  man  could  ever  serve  as  a  founda- 
tion for  such  a  story  as  this.  Here  is  a  di- 
vine-human son,  begotten  of  a  golden  shower 
from  the  Deity,  a  child  of  affliction  and  perse- 
cution from  his  very  birth,  but  predestined  by 
the  heavenly  powers  to  live  and  triumph.  By 
his  high  qualities  he  is  made  the  keeper  and 
conservator  of  the  temple  of  wisdom  and  sa- 


PERSEUS  AND    CHRIST.  253 

cred  worship.  Out  of  devotion  to  his  king 
he  undertakes  to  destroy  the  Gorgons  as  far 
as  they  are  destructible.  For  this  he  descends 
into  hell,  and  brings  forth  armor  from  thence. 
He  is  in  communion  with  the  divine  wisdom, 
and  thereby  is  girded  in  splendor  and  led  un- 
erringly. He  is  winged,  and  given  a  diamond 
sword,  as  Heaven's  messenger  and  herald  to 
undo  the  powers  of  evil  and  administer  deliv- 
erance and  prosperity.  He  wounds  the  dire 
Gorgons  in  the  head,  and  carries  off  their 
power.  He  punishes  Leviathan  with  his  "  sore 
and  great  and  strong  sword."  He  breaks 
the  bonds  of  Andromeda,  and  makes  her  his 
bride  amid  high  festival,  at  which  he  puts 
down  all  opposition.  And  thereupon  he  goes 
forth  to  countries  far  and  near,  punishing  and 
expelling  tyrants  and  usurpers,  rooting  out 
untruth  and  corrupt  worship,  and  blessing 
and  rejoicing  the  city  and  kingdom  of  heroes. 
All  this  interprets  with  wonderful  literalness 
and  brilliancy  when  understood  of  the  prom- 
ised Seed  of  the  woman,  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain,  going  forward  at  the  head  of  His  people 
as  the  Breaker,  brinmnof  death  and  destruction 
to  the  monsters  of  evil,  setting  wronged  cap- 
tives free,  and  joining  them  to  himself  in  glory 
everlasting.  Nor  is  there  anything  else  of 
22 


254       THE   GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS, 

which  it  will  interpret  or  that  can  adequately 
account  for  the  existence  of  the  story. 

Medusa's  Head. 
And  that  we  are  so  to  understand  this  fig- 
ure is  still  further  manifest  in  the  facts  and 
names  in  the  reeking,  snake-covered  head 
grasped  by  the  hero.  Medusa  means  the 
Trodden  wider  foot.  The  name  of  the  prin- 
cipal star  in  this  head,  Al  Ghoul,  contracted 
into  Algol,  means  the  Evil  Spirit.  The 
same  is  also  a  variable  star,  like  Mira.  It 
changes  about  every  three  days  from  a  star 
of  the  second  magnitude  to  one  of  the  fourth, 
and  makes  its  chancres  from  one  to  the  other 
in  three  and  a  half  hours.  Rosh  Satan  and 
Al  Oneh  are  other  names  of  the  stars  in  this 
head,  which  mean  Satan  s  head,  the  Weaken- 
ed, the  Subdued.  And  the  invincible  Subduer 
and  Breaker  is  none  other  than  "  the  Lamb," 
the  biblical  Peretz,  the  Persian  Bershuash,  tak- 
ing to  himself  His  great  power,  and  enforcing 
His  saving  dominion  and  authority  for  the 
full  redemption  of  His  people. 

The  Church's  Hope. 
With  great  vividness,  beauty,  and  fulness 
does  this  sign   of   Aries   thus   symbolize  the 


THE    CHURCH'S  HOPE.  2[?5 

blessed  outcome  of  the  Church,  whose  earthly 
estate  and  career  were  signified  in  the  three 
preceding.  Out  of  the  sacrificial  death  and 
mediation  of  the  Seed  of  the  woman,  the 
slain  Lamb,  the  Church  obtains  its  being.  By 
the  unfailing  stream  of  the  spiritual  waters, 
which  pour  down  from  heaven  as  the  fruit  of 
His  mediatorial  intercession,  it  is  quickened 
into  life  and  celestial  fellowship.  By  the 
bands  of  royal  power  with  which  He  has 
been  crowned  at  the  right  hand  of  eternal 
Majesty  it  is  upheld,  directed,  and  governed 
amid  this  sea  of  earthly  existence,  turmoil, 
danger,  and  temptation.  Helpless  in  its  own 
strength,  despised,  hated,  threatened  by  the 
serpents  of  Medusa's  head,  and  exposed  to 
the  attacks  of  the  monster  lord  of  this  world, 
it  is  still  sustained  and  preserved  by  the  right 
hand  of  Him  whose  is  the  dominion.  And 
the  time  is  coming  when  He  who  walks  amid 
the  golden  candlesticks  and  holds  in  His  hand 
the  seven  stars  shall  lift  the  title-deed  of  its 
inheritance,  and  call  its  members  up  from  this 
doomed  world  to  meet  Him  in  the  air,  whilst 
He  proceeds  to  punish  and  dash  in  pieces  all 
enemies,  cutting  off  Medusa's  head,  putting 
Leviathan  in  bonds,  and  lifting  the  chained 
Andromeda    to    Cassiopeia's    starry   throne. 


256  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

And  then  it  is  that  all  heaven  rings  with  the 
song,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to 
receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing;" whilst  all  creation  thrills  with  "Bless 
ing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  imtc 
Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto 
the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever." 

Dear  friends,  may  I  not  here  turn  to  ask, 
Have  you  been  brought  into  fellowship  and 
communion  with  this  Church  and  congrega- 
tion of  the  Lord  ?  If  so,  then  thank  God  for 
it,  and  be  glad  before  Him  that  He  has  be- 
stowed upon  you  so  great  a  favor.  Bless 
His  name  for  the  grace  that  has  led  you  into 
those  holy  gates,  and  for  the  treasures  and 
dignities  of  which  He  has  thus  made  you 
heirs.  Trials,  dangers,  and  disabilities  may 
be  upon  you  now,  but  the  Lamb  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne  to  uphold,  protect,  and 
comfort  you,  and  by  His  blood  and  interces 
sion  you  are  safe.  Cling  to  Him  and  His 
golden  fleece,  and  no  malignity  of  the  De- 
stroyer shall  ever  be  able  to  touch  a  hair  of 
your  head.  Wait  and  pray  on  in  patience 
and  in  hope  ;  the  victorious  Perseus  comes 
for  your  deliverance  and  to  share  with  you 
His  own  triumphant  immortality. 


THE    CHURCH'S  HOPE.  2$? 

Or  does  the  present  moment  find  you  still 
lingering  without  the  gates,  and  far  aside 
from  the  assembly  and  congregation  of  God's 
flock  ?  These  starry  lights  that  look  down 
so  lovingly  upon  you  are  hung  with  admoni- 
tions of  your  danger,  and  in  diamond  utter- 
ance point  you  to  the  better  way.  "  There  is 
no  speech  nor  language,  their  voice  is  not 
heard ;  but  their  line  is  eone  out  throueh  all 
the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the 
world,"  marking  out  the  tabernacle  of  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness,  in  which  alone  there 
is  covenanted  safety  and  salvation  for  ex- 
posed and  helpless  man.  In  full  harmony 
with  the  written  Book  night  by  night  they 
hold  forth  their  pictorial  showings  to  corrob- 
orate the  testimony  of  Prophets  and  Apostles, 
that  the  erring  seed  of  Adam  may  learn  wis- 
dom, enter  the  chambers  of  security,  and  shut 
themselves  in  to  life  and  glory  against  the 
time  when  the  Breaker  shall  come.  The 
light-bearers  in  the  sky  join  with  the  light- 
bearers  in  the  Church  in  mvine  out  the  one 
great  testimony  of  God  :  "  He  that  believeth 
on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life ;  and  he  that  be- 
lieveth not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him"  (John  3  :  36). 
22*  R 


ULecture  (Sletaeiirt). 

THE  DAY   OF   THE   LORD. 

Is.  92  :  10:  "  My  horn  shalt  Thou  exalt  like  the  horn  of  an  uni- 
corn. ' 

MANY  of  the  Jewish  writers  and  the 
Jewish  Targum  ascribe  the  author- 
ship of  this  psalm  to  Adam,  the  first  man. 
The  Jewish  ritual  appointed  it  as  the  special 
psalm  for  the  Sabbath  day.  It  celebrates, 
first  of  all,  the  glories  and  blessings  of  crea- 
tion. It  then  anticipates  a  period  of  great 
apostasy,  wickedness,  and  prosperity  to  the 
enemies  of  Jehovah.  But  beyond  that  it 
contemplates  the  speedy  and  invincible  over- 
throw and  destruction  of  the  workers  of  in- 
iquity, followed  by  a  glorious  Sabbath  of 
everlasting  righteousness  and  peace.  And 
in  connection  with  the  violent  scattering  and 
perishing  of  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  it  par- 
ticularly emphasizes  a  special  and  peculiar 
exaltation  of  the  power  and  dominion  of  the 
Messiah,  who  speaks  in  the  Psalmist,  and 
says  that    His  "horn" — His    power,   His  ac- 

258 


THE    UNICORN,    OR   RE  EM.  259 

tive  dominion — shall  be  "  like  the  horn  of  an 
unicorn!' 

The  Unicorn,  or  Reem. 
It  has  long  been  a  question  what  animal 
is  meant  by  the  Reem,  which  is  so  often  re- 
ferred to  in  the  ancient  Scriptures,  and  which 
translators  have  generally  called  the  unicorn. 
But  modern  research  and  discovery  have 
served  to  clear  up  the  subject  in  a  manner 
entirely  satisfactory.  The  reem  is  not  a  one- 
horned  creature,  like  the  rhinoceros,  as  has 
generally  been  supposed,  but  a  pure  animal 
of  the  ox  kind,  though  wild,  untamable,  fierce, 
and  terrible.  Two  passages  prove  that  it 
was  a  great  two-horned  and  mighty  creature, 
now,  so  far  as  known,  entirely  extinct,  but 
once  common  in  North-western  Asia,  As- 
syria, and  Middle  Europe.  Remains  of  it 
have  of  late  years  been  discovered  in  the 
north  of  Palestine,  and  Caesar,  in  the  account 
of  his  wars,  describes  it  as  being  hunted  in 
the  Hercynian  forest  in  his  day.  It  was  known 
as  the  primeval  ox,  or  wild  bull,  different  alto- 
gether from  the  bison  or  the  great  antelope, 
sometimes  taken  for  it.  It  was  a  formidable 
animal,  "  scarcely  less  than  the  elephant  in 
size,  but  in  nature,  color,  and  form  a  true  ox." 


260  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

Its  strength  and  speed  were  very  great,  and 
it  was  so  fierce  that  it  did  not  spare  man  or 
beast  when  it  caught  sight  of  them.  It  was 
wholly  intractable,  and  could  not  be  habitu- 
ated to  man,  no  matter  how  young  it  was 
taken.  This  fact  is  set  out  in  the  book  of 
Job  (39:9-12),  where  it  is  said:  "Will  the 
reem  be  willing  to  serve  thee,  or  abide  by  thy 
crib  ?  Canst  thou  bind  the  reem  with  his  band 
in  the  furrow  ?  or  will  he  harrow  the  valleys 
after  thee  ?  Wilt  thou  trust  him  because  his 
strength  is  great  ?  or  wilt  thou  leave  thy  labor 
to  him  ?  Wilt  thou  believe  him  that  he  will 
bring  home  thy  seed,  and  gather  it  into  thy 
barn  ?" 

This  animal  was  particularly  distinguished 
for  its  great,  outspread,  sharp,  and  irresistible 
horns,  to  which  the  horns  of  ordinary  oxen 
were  not  to  be  compared.  Hence  Caesar 
says,  when  a  hunter  succeeded  in  killing  one, 
pitfalls  being  the  chief  means  of  capture,  he 
made  a  public  exhibition  of  the  horns  as  the 
trophies  of  his  success,  and  was  the  wonder 
and  praise  of  all  who  beheld.  Joseph  (Deut. 
33  :  17),  in  his  superiority  of  power,  is  likened 
to  the  reem,  of  which  his  two  sons,  Ephraim 
and  Manasseh,  were  the  two  great  horns  which 
were  to  push  the  people  to  the  ends  of  the 


THE    UNICORN,    OR   REEM.  26 1 

earth.  And  to  this  mighty,  untamable,  and 
invincible  primeval  ox  the  Messiah  compares 
himself  in  connection  with  the  great  judg- 
ment upon  the  wicked  world ;  for  then  His 
horn  shall  be  exalted  like  the  horn  of  a 
reem.  Toward  His  Church  He  is  the  Lamb, 
but  toward  the  unsanctified  world  He  finally 
becomes  the  terrible  reem. 

But,  what  is  very  marvellous,  the  picture 
which  the  Messiah  appropriates  to  himself  so 
exultingly  in  the  text  is  precisely  the  picture 
which  is  presented  in  the  sign  of  the  Zodiac 
which  now  comes  before  us — the  sign  of  Tau- 
rus, the  first  of  the  final  quaternary  in  the 
celestial  circle. 

I  have  already  explained  that  the  twelve 
Zodiacal  siens  are  arranged  in  three  sets  of 
four  each,  each  set  having  a  particular  sub- 
ject of  its  own  in  the  grand  evangelic  history. 
In  the  first  set  we  were  shown  the  Seed  of 
the  woman  in  His  own  personal  character 
and  offices.  In  the  second  set  we  were 
shown  the  formation,  career,  and  destiny  of 
the  Church.  And  in  the  third  set,  upon  which 
we  now  enter,  we  are  shown  the  great  judg- 
ment-period and  the  completion  of  the  whole 
mystery  of  God  respecting  our  world  and 
race. 


262  the  gospel  in  the  stars, 

The  Judgment. 

I  may  also  remark  here  that  it  is  a  great 
mistake  to  conceive  of  the  judgment-time  as 
limited  to  a  period  of  twenty-four  hours.  It 
is  called  "  the  day  of  judgment  "  only  after  the 
manner  in  which  "  the  day  that  the  Lord  made 
the  earth  and  the  heavens  "  is  spoken  of  as  a 
day.  The  day  of  judgment  is  simply  the  pe- 
riod or  time  of  the  judgment.  The  common 
notion  on  the  subject,  which  crowds  up  every- 
thing in  one  grand  assize,  is  wholly  at  vari- 
ance with  the  Scriptures,  and  a  source  of  end- 
less troubles  to  expositors  in  attempting  to 
construe  the  very  numerous  and  very  diverse 
prophecies  which  refer  to  it.  It  can  be  clearly 
demonstrated,  from  the  teachings  of  Christ 
and  His  Apostles,  as  well  as  from  the  ancient 
prophets,  that  everything  does  not  end  with 
the  termination  of  the  present  Church  period, 
and  that  the  end  or  consummation  itself  in- 
cludes a  variety  of  administrations,  in  most 
of  which  the  glorified  saints  are  to  take 
active  part. 

And  what  is  thus  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures 
is  correspondingly  represented  in  the  signs 
as  given  in  the  primeval  astronomy.  Four 
of  the  Zodiacal  sierns  set  forth  the  career  of 


THE   SIGN  OF   TAURUS.  2.6$ 

the  Church  up  to  the  time  of  its  transfer  to 
glory,  when,  under  the  great  power  of  the 
Lamb,  the  chained  and  exposed  Andromeda 
is  transformed  into  the  enthroned  Cassiopeia. 
But  beyond  that  we  still  have  four  additional 
signs  before  all  is  finally  complete.  These 
begin  and  end  with  scenes  of  judgment,  and 
so  relate  to  a  great  judgment-period,  which 
begins  at  the  house  of  God  by  the  ereption 
of  God's  ready  and  waiting  saints  to  himself 
in  the  heavenly  regions,  and  then  breaks  in 
fury  upon  the  ungodly  population  still  left 
upon  the  earth.  And  then  it  is  that  Jehovah's 
enemies  shall  perish,  and  all  the  workers  of 
iniquity  be  scattered,  and  the  horn  of  the  Seed 
of  the  woman  be  exalted  like  the  horn  of  the 
reem,  to  fulfil  all  His  desire  upon  His  foes ; 
which  is  the  precise  scene  pictorially  repre- 
sented in 

The  Sign  of  Taurus. 
The  names  of  this  sign,  in  Hebrew,  Arabic, 
Syriac,  Latin,  and  Greek,  mean  the  same  as 
the  English  name,  the  Btdl.  But  the  figure 
is  not  that  of  the  common  bull  of  any  known 
class.  The  horns  are  greater  and  differently 
set  from  those  of  domestic  cattle,  whilst  the 
toes  also  have  horns.     The  attitude  and  en- 


264  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

ergy  displayed  are  likewise  far  fiercer  and 
more  nimble  than  the  common  ox  ever  shows. 
It  is  the  reem  of  the  text,  the  aurochs,  the  bull 
of  yore,  the  fierce,  mighty,  and  untamable  wild 
bull  of  the  primeval  ages,  and  a  most  expres- 
sive symbol  of  Christ  as  the  irresistible  and 
angry  Judge. 

This  terrific  animal  appears  here  in  the  in- 
tensest  rage,  dashing  forward  with  swift  and 
impetuous  energy,  and  with  his  great  sharp 
horns  set  as  if  to  run  through  everything  that 
comes  in  its  way.  The  Egyptians  called  it  by 
names  signifying  the  Head,  the  Captain,  the 
mighty  Chieftain  who  cometh.  The  chief  star 
in  this  sign  is  situated  in  the  Bull's  eye ;  and 
its  name,  Al  Debaran,  means  the  Captain, 
Leader,  or  Governor.  The  middle  and  hinder 
part  of  the  enraged  animal  includes  the  body 
of  the  enthroned  Lamb,  out  of  which  it  seems 
to  rise.  It  is  also  the  direct  opposite  of  the 
Scorpion,  so  that  when  it  rises  the  Scorpion 
sets  and  disappears. 

The  Myths. 
In  mythology  this  Bull  was  always  account- 
ed snow-white,  the  color  of  righteousness  and 
royal  judgment.     According  to  some  of  the 
accounts,  this  form  was  assumed  by  Jupiter 


THE   MYTHS.  265 

out  of  his  passion  for  the  beautiful  Europa, 
whom  he  won  by  his  gentleness  and  bore  on 
his  back  across  the  seas  to  Crete.  The  god 
of  the  sea  demanded  that  he  should  be  offered 
in  sacrifice,  but  because  of  his  beauty  the  king 
preserved  him.  Afterward  he  became  mad, 
and  wrought  great  havoc  and  destruction 
among  the  Cretans,  and  could  neither  be 
caught  nor  tamed  except  by  Herakles. 

This  story  remarkably  interprets  with  refer- 
ence to  Christ  and  His  Church,  and  the  anger 
with  which  He  is  to  visit  the  wicked  world 
after  the  Church  of  the  first-born  has  been 
safely  landed  in  heaven.  The  same  becomes 
the  more  striking  when  we  take  in  some  other 
markings  of  the  case. 

Among  the  early  nations  there  was  a  wide- 
spread idea  connecting  this  Bull  with  the  Del- 
uge, and  the  Pleiades — the  seven  stars,  the 
Doves,  the  peculiar  star-cluster  of  "  sweet  in- 
fluences"— with  the  ark  of  Noah  and  those 
saved  by  it  in  that  great  judgment.  "The 
seven  stars,"  which  the  Scriptures  also  con- 
nect with  the  Church  (Rev.  i  :  16;  2:1),  are 
on  the  back  of  this  Bull,  high  up  on  his  great 
shoulder.  The  Pleiades,  according  to  the 
myths,  were  the  seven  daughters  of  Atlas, 
the  upholder  of  heaven  and  earth,  who,  with 

23 


266  THE   GOSPEL    IN  THE   STARS. 

their  sisters,  the  Hyades,  in  this  Bull's  head, 
were  placed  in  heaven  because  of  their  vir- 
tues and  mutual  sympathy  and  affection. 
They  beautifully  symbolize  the  saints  secure- 
ly supported  by  the  terrible  Judge,  and  who. 
together  with  the  holy  angels  whom  they  are 
like,  thus  move  with  Him  and  His  inflictions 
upon  the  guilty  world. 

The  Sacred  Prophecies. 
And  when  we  take  this  fierce  and  enraged  au- 
rochs as  the  symbol  of  the  glorious  Head  of  His 
redeemed  people,  particularly  in  those  scenes 
of  judgment  upon  the  apostate  and  unbeliev- 
ing nations  after  the  saints  have  been  taken 
away,  we  have  before  our  eyes  in  the  stars 
the  very  picture  which  Isaiah  describes  where 
he  prophesies  of  "  the  world,  and  all  the  things 
that  come  forth  of  it,"  and  says :  "  The  indig- 
nation of  the  Lord  is  upon  all  nations,  and 
His  fury  upon  all  their  armies.  He  hath  de- 
livered them  to  the  slaughter.  Their  slain 
also  shall  be  cast  out,  and  the  mountains  shall 
be  melted  with  their  blood.  The  unicorns  \_the 
7'eems,  the  precise  animal  which  constitutes  the 
figure  in  Taurus']  shall  come  down,  and  the 
bullocks  with  the  bulls,  and  their  land  shall  be 
soaked  with  blood.     For  it  is  the  day  of  the 


SACRED   PROPHECIES,  267 

Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year  of  recompenses 
for  the  controversy  of  Zion  "(34  •  2-8). 

The  Scriptures  everywhere  tell  us  of  a  pe- 
riod of  indignation,  when  the  Lord  shall  come 
forth  out  of  His  place  to  punish  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity ;  when  He  will 
no  longer  keep  silence  ;  when  the  earth  shall 
disclose  her  blood,  and  shall  no  more  cover 
her  slain  (Isa.  26:  20,  21).     He  is  very  long- 
suffering  now.     Men   sin,  but  His  judgment 
does  not  quickly  follow  upon  transgression. 
Sin  is  added  upon  sin,  and  wickedness  upon 
wickedness,  and  yet  the  Lord  keeps  silence, 
not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all 
should  come  to  repentance.     But  there  is  a 
limit  to    His   forbearance.     There   is   a   time 
coming  when  He  will  tear  in  pieces,  and  there 
shall  be  none  to  deliver.     His  own  word  is  : 
"  Behold,  the  day  of  the  Lord  cometh,  cruel 
both  with  wrath  and  fierce  anger,  to  lay  the 
land  desolate,  and  to  destroy  the  sinners  there- 
of out  of  it.     And  I  will  punish  the  world  for 
their  evil,  and  the  wicked  for  their  iniquity  ; 
and  I  will  cause  the  arrogancy  of  the  proud 
to  cease,  and  will  lay  low  the  haughtiness  of 
the  terrible.     The  earth  shall  remove  out  of 
her  place,  in  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
and  in  the  day  of  His  fierce  anger.     Every 


268  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

one   that  is   found   shall   be   thrust  through " 
(Isa.  13). 

These  are  fearful  comminations.  And 
lest  we  should  think  that  they  refer  only  to 
the  past,  the  New  Testament  repeats  them, 
and  tells  us  how  "  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  re- 
vealed from  heaven  with  His  mighty  angels, 
in  flaming  fire  taking  vengeance  on  them  that 
know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  " 
(2  Thess.  1  :  7-9) ;  and  how  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the  rich  men, 
and  the  .chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men, 
and  every  bondman,  and  every  freeman,  will 
hide  themselves  in  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks 
of  the  mountains,  calling  to  the  mountains 
and  rocks,  "  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the 
face  of  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and 
from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb:  for  the  great 
day  of  His  wrath  is  come  ;  and  who  shall  be 
able  to  stand?"  (Rev.  6:  12-17).  Alas,  alas, 
for  the  wicked,  the  unbelieving,  and  the  im- 
penitent when  that  day  comes  !  For  the  horn 
of  Messiah  shall  then  be  like  the  horn  of  the 
enraged  aurochs,  and  there  will  be  no  escape 
from  His  fury. 

Orion. 
Very  impressively  also  do  we  find  the  same 


ORION.  269 

still  further  signified  in  the  constellation  of 
the  first  Decan  of  this  animated  sign.  This 
is  one  of  the  grandest  of  the  constellations, 
and  so  beautifully  splendid  that  when  it  is 
once  learned  it  is  never  forgotten.  When 
it  comes  to  the  meridian  a  very  magnificent 
view  of  the  celestial  bodies  presents  itself 
above  the  horizon.  It  is  specially  celebrated 
in  the  book  of  Job,  and  is  mentioned  in  Amos 
and  in  Homer.  And  because  of  its  great 
magnificence  the  flatterers  of  conquerors  like 
Nimrod  and  Napoleon  selected  it  for  asso- 
ciation with  the  names  of  these  men. 

The  figure  is  a  giant  hunter,  with  a  mighty 
club  in  his  right  hand  in  the  act  of  striking, 
and  in  his  left  the  skin  of  a  slain  lion. 

"  First  in  rank 
The  martial  star  upon  his  shoulder  flames  ; 
A  rival  star  illuminates  his  foot ; 
And  on  his  girdle  beams  a  luminary 
Which  in  vicinity  of  other  stars 
Might  claim  the  proudest  honors." 

His  left  foot  is  in  the  act  of  crushing  the 
head  of  the  enemy.  He  wears  a  brilliant 
starry  girdle  to  which  hangs  a  mighty  sword, 
the  hilt  or  handle  of  which  is  the  head  and 
body  of  the  Lamb.  Concerning  the  idolatrous 
and  the  wicked,  God  hath  said :  "  Behold,  I 
will  send  for  many  fishers,  and  they  shall  fish 

23* 


270  THE  GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

them ;  and  after  will  I  send  for  many  hunters^ 
and  they  shall  hunt  them  from  every  moun- 
tain, and  from  every  hill,  and  out  of  the  holes 
of  the  rocks ;  for  mine  eyes  are  upon  all  their 
ways :  they  are  not  hid  from  my  face,  neither 
is  their  iniquity  hid  from  mine  eyes.  I  will 
recompense  their  iniquity  and  their  sin  double" 
(Jer.  16  :  16-18).  And  here  is  the  great  Cap- 
tain and  Prince  of  these  hunters  in  full  and 
mighty  action.  His  name  is  Orion,  He  who 
cometh  forth  as  light,  the  Brilliant,  the  Swift 
The  book  of  Job  speaks  of  Him  as  invin- 
cibly girded,  whose  bands  no  one  can  un- 
loose. Betelgucse,  a  star  of  the  first  mag- 
nitude, flames  on  His  right  shoulder;  and 
Betel ooiese  means  The  Branch  coming.  Rigel. 
another  star  of  the  first  magnitude,  flames  in 
His  lifted  foot ;  and  Rigel  means  the  Foot 
that  crusheth.  In  His  great  belt  are  three 
shining  brilliants,  called  the  Three  Kings,  also 
Jacob's  Rod  (Isa.  11  :  1),  also  the  Ell  and  Yard, 
giving  the  rule  of  celestial  and  righteous  meas^ 
urement,  just  as  it  is  said  of  the  Rod  and 
Branch  from  Jesse's  roots,  "  Righteousness 
shall  be  the  girdle  of  His  loins,  and  faithful- 
ness the  girdle  of  His  reins"  (Isa.  11:5). 
In  His  left  breast  shines  a  bright  star,  Bella- 
trix,  which  means  Swiftly  coming  or  Suddenly 


MYTHS    ON  ORION.  2J\ 

destroying.  The  Arabs  call  Him  Al  Giauza, 
the  Branch  ;  Al  Mirzam,  the  Ruler  ;  Al  Nag- 
jed,  the  Prince.  He  is  but  another  figure  of 
the  same  invincible  Avenger  represented  by 
the  enraofed  aurochs — the  horn  of  the  Mes- 
siah  exalted  into  the  horn  of  the  terrible 
aurochs. 

Myths  on  Orion. 
According  to  the  myths,  though  full  of  con 
fusion  and  contradictions,  Orion  was  the  united 
gift  of  the  gods,  Jupiter,  Neptune,  and  Mer- 
cury, and  had  power  to  walk  the  sea  without 
wetting  his  feet,  and  surpassed  in  strength, 
stature,  and  handsomeness  all  other  men. 
He  is  described  as  the  greatest  hunter  in  the 
world,  who  claimed  to  be  able  to  cope  with 
and  conquer  every  animal  on  earth.  Because 
of  this  claim,  a  scorpion  sprang  up  out  of  the 
earth  and  ofave  \{im  a  m0rtal  wound  in  his 
foot ;  but  at  Diana's  request  he  was  raised  to 
immortality,  and  placed  in  the  heavens  over 
against  the  Scorpion.  He  is  spoken  of  as 
skilled  in  the  working  and  handling  of  iron, 
as  havinor  fabricated  a  subterranean  abode 
for  the  god  of  fires,  and  as  having  walled  in 
Sicily  against  the  inundations  of  the  sea, 
building  thereon  a  temple  to  its  gods.     It  is 


272  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

said  of  him  that  because  he  loved  Merope 
her  father  put  out  his  eyes  while  he  was 
asleep  on  the  sea-shore,  but  that,  by  raising 
himself  on  the  back  of  a  forgeman  and  turn- 
ing his  face  to  the  rising  sun,  he  recovered 
his  sight,  and  went  forth  with  great  haste, 
rage,  and  energy  to  avenge  the  perfidious 
cruelty  of  his  foes.  He  is  said  to  have  great- 
ly loved  the  Pleiadic  maiden,  and  that  out  of 
affection  for  her  he  performed  the  great  work 
of  clearing  the  country  of  all  noxious  wild 
beasts,  bringing  the  spoils  of  his  successes 
as  presents  to  his  beloved. 

There  is  much  rubbish  and  heathen  un 
cleanness  in  some  of  the  accounts,  but  the 
filthy  waters  nevertheless  reflect  the  pure  im- 
age. Christ  was  born  of  a  woman,  as  some 
accounts  allege  of  Orion  ;  and  he  was  at  the 
same  time  the  peculiar  gift  of  Deity  to  our 
world,  as  alleged  by  other  accounts  of  this 
hero  of  the  constellation.  He  was  indeed 
the  greatest  and  sublimest  of  all  men.  He 
did  claim  to  be  able  to  destroy,  and  came 
into  the  world  that  He  might  destroy,  all  the 
mighty  powers  of  evil  and  all  the  works  of 
the  Devil.  On  this  account  He  was  stung 
by  the  Scorpion  of  death.  Because  of  His 
love    for    the    Church    He    did    sink    into   a 


E  RID  ANUS.  273 

deep  sleep  upon  these  shores  of  time,  in 
which  the  light  of  His  eyes  was  extinguished, 
but  was  restored  to  Him  again  by  His  lifting 
up  from  the  grave.  He  was  in  the  world,  and 
passed  through  it  without  being  wetted  or 
soiled  by  its  waters.  He  is  indeed  stationed 
in  immortal  glory  as  the  everlasting  plague, 
enemy,  and  destroyer  of  death.  He  it  is 
wlio  has  made  ready  the  lake  of  fire  for  the 
Devil  and  his  angels.  He  is  the  Protector  of 
the  land  of  His  Church,  and  the  Builder  of 
the  temple  of  its  worship  and  security.  And 
so  it  is  also  appointed  to  Him  to  come  forth 
in  His  mighty  power  and  vengeance,  to  bring 
swift  destruction  upon  His  cruel  foes,  and  to 
hunt  out  all  the  noxious  wild  beasts  that  in- 
fest the  earth,  that  he  may  clear  it  for  ever 
of  their  presence,  bestowing  all  the  fruits  of 
His  victories  upon  the  Church  which  He  has 
purchased  with  His  blood. 

Erxdanus. 
The  second  Decan  of  this  illustrious  sign 
carries  forward  the  same  idea  to  still  further 
lengths.  From  beneath  the  down-coming  foot 
of  Orion,  from  under  the  feet  of  the  rampant 
aurochs,  and  from  before  both,  there  flows 
out  a  great  tortuous  river,  eastward  and  west- 


274  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS, 

ward,  and  down  into  the  regions  of  darknes3 
in  the  under-world.  Its  name  is  Eridamis,  the 
River  of  the  Judge.  It  is  specially  connected 
in  the  myths  with  a  confusion  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  chariot  of  the  Sun,  by  which 
heaven  and  earth  were  threatened  with  a 
universal  conflagration,  during  which  trouble 
the  vain  and  obtrusive  Phaeton  was  killed  by 
a  thunderbolt  and  hurled  headlong  into  this 
river,  in  which  his  body  burned  and  consumed 
with  fire,  whilst  at  the  same  time  such  burning 
heat  fell  upon  the  world  that  it  dried  up  the 
blood  of  the  Ethiops  and  turned  vast  sections 
into  sterility  and  emptiness. 

In  Daniel's  vision  of  the  four  beasts,  and 
of  God's  judgment  of  them,  we  find  this  same 
River  of  the  Judge.  Having  described  the 
several  world-monsters  and  their  ill-doings, 
the  Prophet  says :  "  I  beheld  till  the  thrones 
were  set,  and  the  Ancient  of  days  did  sit: 
His  throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  His 
wheels  as  burning  fire.  *A  fiery  stream  [a  river 
of  tire]  issued  mid  came  forth  from  before  him!' 
It  Is  the  River  of  the  Judge,  for  we  read,  "  The 
judgment  was  set,  and  the  books  were  open- 
ed." And  the  Prophet  "  beheldxeven  till  the 
beast  was  slain,  and  his  body  destroyed,  and 
given  to  the  burning  flame"  (Dan.  7  :  9-1 1). 


h  RID  AN  US.  275 

So  we  also  read  in  the  Psalms  (50 :  3)  :  "  Our 
God  shall  come,  and  shall  not  keep  silence : 
a  fire  shall  devour  before  Him,  and  it  shall  be 
very  tempestuous  round  about  Him  ;"  "A  fire 
goeth  before  Him,  and  burnetii  up  His  enemies 
round  about  Him  "  (97*3—5). 

So  again  in  Isaiah  it  is  written :  "  Behold, 
the  name  of  the  Lord  cometh  from  far,  burn- 
ine  with  His  an^er,  and  the  burden  thereof  is 
heavy :  His  lips  are  full  of  indignation,  and 
His  tongue  as  a  devouring  fire :  and  His 
breath  as  an  overflowing  stream  [of  fire\. 
Tophet  is  ordained  of  old  ;  yea,  for  the  king 
it  is  prepared :  He  hath  made  it  deep  and 
large  :  the  pile  thereof  is  fire  and  much  wood  ; 
the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream  of  brim- 
stone, doth  kindle  it"  (30:27-33);  "For,  be- 
hold, the  Lord  will  come  with  fire,  and  with 
His  chariots  like  a  whirlwind,  to  render  His 
anger  with  fury,  and  His  rebuke  with  flames 
of  fire.  For  by  fire  and  by  His  sword  will  the 
Lord  plead  with  all  flesh  ;  and  the  slain  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  many"  (66:  15,  16).  "Who 
can  stand  before  His  indignation  ?  and  who 
can  abide  in  the  fierceness  of  his  anger  ?  His 
fury  is  poured  out  like  fire"  (Nah.  1  :  5,  6). 

And  so,  also,  "when  the  Son  of  man  shall 
sit  upon  the  throne  of  His  glory  "  the  nations 


276  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

which  did  not  the  works  of  faith  and  charity 
shall  go  away  "into  everlasting  fire,  prepared 
for  the  Devil  and  his  angels"  (Matt.  25  :  31- 
41).  Nay,  saith  the  holy  Apostle,  "The  day 
of  the  Lord  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night ;  in 
the  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  with  a  great 
noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat,  the  earth  also  and  the  works  that  are  there- 
in shall  be  burned"  (2  Pet.  3  :  10). 

Here,  then,  is  the  true  Eridanus,  and  the 
fate  of  the  proud  and  presumptuous  Phaeton 
and  all  his  usurped  rule.  The  River  of  Fire, 
issuing  from  before  Taurus  and  Orion,  shall 
receive  them  and  burn  them  up  in  unquench- 
able flames.  The  burning  breath  of  the  angry 
Judge  shall  sweep  them  headlong  to  "  the  lake 
which  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is 
the  second  death"  (Rev.  20:  14,  15). 

These  are  very  dark,  painful,  and  terrifying 
presentations  ;  but  they  are  true  pictures,  ex- 
actly the  same  both  in  the  Scriptures  and  in 
the  constellations.  They  are  given  in  these 
alarming  terms  and  figures  that  wicked,  care- 
less, and  indifferent  people  may  take  warning,  4 
turn  away  from  their  follies  and  sins,  and  flee 
to  the  refuse  set  before  us  in  the  blessed  Gos- 
pel  of  Christ.  And  if  any  man  have  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear. 


MERCY  IN  JUDGMENT.  2^ 

But  the  presentations  are  not  all  terror  and 
hopelessness. 

Mercy  in  Judgment. 

Although  the  present  Church-period  will 
have  ended  before  the  promised  Seed  of  the 
woman  takes  on  the  character  described  in 
the  text  and  in  these  signs,  probation  will  not 
have  entirely  ended.  The  possibility  of  se- 
curing salvation  will  not  yet  have  been  com- 
pletely cut  off.  Though  the  dispensation  is 
then  changed  from  that  of  the  present  silent 
forbearance  and  long-suffering  on  God's  part 
into  one  of  active  and  terrific  judgment,  and 
though  all  chance  of  reaching-  the  first  honors 
of  the  kingdom  will  then  have  passed  away 
for  ever,  there  still  will  be  a  chance  for  being 
"  saved  so  as  by  fire ;"  and  many  there  will  be 
who  will  also  embrace  that  remaining  oppor- 
tunity. 

In  the  very  nature  of  things  the  breaking 
in  of  the  great  and  terrible  fact  that  the  day 
of  judgment  is  come,  and  with  the  startling 
and  convincing  proofs  of  its  actual  presence 
spread  all  around,  there  cannot  but  be  some 
awakening  and  revolutionizing  effect  on  the 
hearts  and  thinking  of  multitudes  who  up  till 
then  have  made  themselves  very  easy  about 

24 


278  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE    STARS. 

these  matters  of  salvation.  Hence  Isaiah 
prophesied  :  "When  Thy  judgments  are  in  the 
earth,  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  will  learn 
righteousness"  (26:  29).  So  also  the  Psalm- 
ist (64  :  7-9)  says :  When  God  shall  shoot 
His  arrows  at  them  that  encourage  themselves 
in  evil,  and  shall  suddenly  wound  them,  "  men 
shall  fear,  and  shall  declare  the  work  of  God ; 
for  they  shall  wisely  consider  His  doing." 
And  again :  "  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in 
the  day  of  Thy  power"  (110:3).  So  also 
Daniel  prophesies  of  this  very  time,  and  says: 
"  Many  shall  be  purified,  and  made  white,  and 
tried  ;  but  the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly,  and 
none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand ;  but  the 
wise  shall  understand"  (Dan.  12  :  8-10).  The 
wicked  shall  not  understand,  seeing,  as  Paul 
says,  that  because  they  received  not  the  love 
of  the  truth,  God  sendeth  them  a  working  of 
error,  that  they  may  believe  a  lie,  and  be  ir- 
remediably condemned  (2  Thess.  2:10-12). 
Accordingly,  we  also  read  in  the  Apocalypse, 
after  the  ready  and  waiting  saints  have  been 
caught  up  and  crowned  in  heaven,  and  the 
great  tribulation  has  already  set  in  upon  the 
earth,  of  "a  great  multitude"  who  were  un- 
prepared when  the  first  scenes  of  the  judg- 
ment broke  in,  but  still  succeed  in  rectifying 


A  URIGA.  279 

their  errors,  wash  their  soiled  robes  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  reach  the  world  of 
the  redeemed,  though  they  never  get  crowns. 
And  what  we  find  thus  set  forth  in  the  Scrip- 
tures is  likewise  signified  in  the  constellations. 

Auriga. 
To  the  enraged  Aurochs,  the  mighty  Hunt- 
er, and  the  fiery  River  of  the  Judge  there  is 
added  another  figure  in  the  third  Decan,  which 
is  thoroughly  evangelic  and  gracious.  The 
Greek  myths  are  totally  at  a  loss  with  regard 
to  its  main  features,  conclusively  showing  that 
these  signs  were  arranged  long  before  the 
time  of  the  Greeks,  and  that  Greek  genius 
was  totally  incompetent  to  produce  them. 
The  Greeks  could  only  preserve  the  tradi- 
tional figure  in  this  Decan,  and  let  it  stand 
wholly  unexplained.  The  figure  itself  is  that 
of  a  mighty  man  seated  on  the  Milky  Way, 
holding  a  band  or  ribbon  in  his  right  hand, 
and  with  his  left  arm  holding  up  on  his  shoul- 
der a  she-goat,  which  clings  to  his  neck  and 
looks  out  in  astonishment  upon  the  terrible 
Bull ;  whilst  in  his  lap  are  two  frightened  little 
kids,  which  he  supports  with  his  great  hand. 
The  Greeks  called  him  Hceniochos,  which  in 
their  language  signified  a  Driver  or  Chariot- 


280  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

eer ;  and  so  our  modern  atlases  call  him  the 
Wagoner.  But  as  he  has  neither  chariot  nor 
horses,  and  is  thoroughly  occupied  with  the 
care  of  his  goats,  it  is  very  strange  that  the 
modern  world  should  have  persisted  in  re- 
garding him  as  a  chariot-driver.  But  there 
is  one  link  of  connection  to  show  how  this 
absurdity  came  about.  One  of  the  old  tradi- 
tional names  of  this  figure  was  Auriga,  or  a 
name  framed  of  the  elements  preserved  in 
the  word  Auriga,  which,  in  Latin,  means  a 
Conductor  of  the  reins,  a  coachman,  a  char- 
ioteer. And  as  this  figure  holds  a  band  or 
ribbon  in  his  right  hand,  these  heathen  people 
could  do  no  better  than  to  take  him  for  a 
wonderful  charioteer.  But  he  is  no  char- 
ioteer at  all,  and  is  engaged  in  performing 
a  wholly  different  office. 

The  Noetic  elements  in  the  word  Auriga  sig- 
nify the  Shepherd ;  and  the  Shepherd  he  really 
is,  even  that  same  Good  Shepherd  who  laid 
down  His  life  for  the  sheep  and  giveth  unto 
them  eternal  life.  This  is  most  clearly  shown 
by  His  having  the  mother-goat  on  His  arm, 
with  her  feet  clasped  about  His  neck,  and  the 
little  kids  on  His  hand.  The  band  in  his 
right  hand  is  the  same  Band  which  we  saw  in 
the  hand  of  the  Lamb  and  in  the  hand  of  the 


AURIGA.  28l 

enthroned  Cepheus.  It  is  the  Band  of  power 
by  which  the  glorious  Head  of  the  Church 
upholds  and  guides  His  people  on  the  one 
side,  and  binds  the  enemy  on  the  other:  It 
is  therefore  a  picture  of  the  exalted  and  al- 
mighty Saviour,  still  exercising  His  offices  of 
mercy  and  salvation  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes 
of  judgment,  just  as  the  Scriptures  tell  us 
that  in  the  midst  of  wrath  He  remembers 
mercy  (Hab.  3:2).  And  to  this  all  the  indi- 
cations in  this  sign  agree. 

The  chief  star  in  this  constellation,  Capella, 
which  is  of  the  first  magnitude  and  of  pecu- 
liar brilliancy,  marks  the  heart  of  the  mother- 
goat  on  Auriga's  bosom.  The  very  attitude 
and  expression  of  this  goat  are  significant.  It 
not  only  clings  to  the  great  Shepherd's  neck, 
as  if  trembling  for  its  own  safety,  but  is  anx- 
iously looking  back  upon  the  action  of  the 
Bull,  as  if  saying,  "  I  have  seen  the  wicked  in 
great  power,  and  spreading  himself  like  a 
green  bay  tree ;  yet  he  passed  away,  and,  lo, 
he  is  not :  yea,  I  look  for  him,  but  he  cannot 
be  found"  (Ps.  37  :  34-36).  The  whole  pic- 
ture is  in  precise  accord  with  Isaiah's  proph- 
ecy of  this  very  period,  where  he  says  :  "  Be- 
hold, the  Lord  will  come  with  strong  hand, 
and  His  arm  shall   rule  for  Him  :  behold,  His 

24* 


282  THE    GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

reward  is  with  Him  and  His  work  before  Him. 
He  shall  feed  His  flock  like  a  shepherd  :  He 
shall  gather  the  lambs  with  His  arm,  and  carry 
them  in  His  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those  that 
give  suck"  (40  :  10,  11).  Hence  die  name  of 
the  star  in  the  right  arm  of  Auriga,  Menkal- 
inon,  in  Chaldaic  means  the  Band  of  the  Goats 
or  Ewes. 

In  the  Zodiac  of  Dendera,  Auriea  holds  a 
sceptre,  the  upper  part  of  which  shows  the 
head  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  lower  part  the 
figure  of  the  Cross ;  which  vividly  expresses 
salvation  even  under  the  severe  administra- 
tions of  sovereign  judgment.  And  here  are 
the  two  little  kids,  just  born,  having  come  into 
place  amid  these  ongoings  of  the  terrible  judg- 
ment, the  one  bleating  upward  after  its  moth- 
er, and  the  other  looking  in  startled  wonder 
at  the  dashing  career  of  the  enraged  Bull,  but 
both  safe  in  the  great  Shepherd's  hand.  How 
touching  the  picture  of  the  tender  mercies  of 
our  Saviour,  even  after  the  Church  of  the  first- 
born has  been  taken,  and  He  has  already  risen 
up  as  the  terrible  Aurochs  ! 

A  Solemn  Outlook. 
And  now  what  shall  we  say  to  these  showings 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?     There  is  a  day  of  judg- 


A    SOLEMN  OUTLOOK.  283 

ment  coming,  and  it  hastens  on  apace.  It  will 
be  a  day  of  trouble  and  an  hour  of  trial  such 
as  have  never  yet  been  seen  in  our  world. 
It  will  be  a  day  that  shall  burn  as  an  oven  ; 
and  all  the  proud,  yea,  all  that  do  wickedly, 
shall  be  as  stubble  to  the  fire ;  and  the  day 
that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root 
nor  branch  (Mai.  4:1).  Only  they  that  take 
refuge  in  Jesus  shall  find  shelter  and  security. 
And  on  the  throne  of  His  majesty  in  the 
heavens  He  sits  with  wide-open  arms,  saying, 
"  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy-laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Take 
my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  Me  ;  and  ye 
shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls  "  (Matt.  1 1  : 
28,  29).  From  the  eternal  Father  the  word 
is :  "  Unto  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  arise  with  healing  in 
His  wings  ;  and  ye  shall  go  forth  and  grow 
up  as  calves  of  the  stall ;  and  ye  shall  tread 
down  the  wicked  ;  for  they  shall  be  ashes  un- 
der the  soles  of  your  feet  in  the  day  that  I  do 
this,  saith  the  Lord"  (Mai.  4:  2,  3). 

How,  then,  should  these  presentations  serve 
to  quicken  us  to  spirituality  of  living  and  to 
all  earnestness  of  watchfulness  and  prayer, 
that  we  may  be  found  of  Him  in  peace,  with- 


284  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

out  spot,  and  blameless !  And  how  should 
the  same  animate  our  hopes  as  believers,  and 
reconcile  us  to  whatever  sacrifices,  pains,  or 
losses  to  which  our  profession  may  subject  us 
in  this  present  evil  world !  What  saith  the 
Spirit?  Hear  it,  dear  friends,  and  ponder  it: 
"  Fret  not  thyself  because  of  evil-doers, 
neither  be  thou  envious  against  the  workers 
of  iniquity ;  for  they  shall  soon  be  cut  down 
like  the  grass,  and  wither  as  the  green  herb. 
Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good  •  so  shalt  thou 
dwell  in  the  land,  and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed. 
For  evil-doers  shall  be  cut  off:  but  those  that 
wait  upon  the  Lord,  they  shall  inherit  the 
earth.  For  yet  a  little  while,  and  the  wicked 
shall  not  be :  yea,  thou  shalt  diligently  con- 
sider his  place,  and  it  shall  not  be.  For 
the  Lord  loveth  judgment,  and  forsaketh  not 
His  saints ;  they  are  preserved  for  ever. 
Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  His  way,  and  He 
shall  exalt  thee  to  inherit  the  land :  when  the 
wicked  are  cut  off,  thou  shalt  see  it.  The  sal- 
vation of  the  riehteous  is  of  the  Lord :  He  is 
their  strength  in  the  time  of  trouble.  And  the 
Lord  shall  help  them,  and  deliver  them :  He 
shall  deliver  them  from  the  wicked,  and  save 
them,  because  they  trust  in  Him"  (Ps.  ^). 


iLecture  &toelftf). 

THE  HEAVENLY  UNION. 
I  Thess.  4:17:  "  And  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord." 

THESE  sweet  and  comforting  words  re- 
late to  a  scene  of  things  beyond  the  res- 
urrection of  the  dead,  and  hence  to  something 
which  is  to  be  brought  about  during  the  prog- 
ress of  the  judgment-period.  After  the  Lord 
himself  has  come  forth  with  the  voice  of  a 
great  trumpet,  and  the  holy  dead  have  been 
raised,  and  the  living  saints  have  been  trans- 
lated, and  both  classes  have  been  caught  up  to- 
gether to  meet  the  Saviour  in  the  air,  then  the 
word  is,  "So  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord!' 
And  the  particular  blessedness  which  we  thus 
find  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures  we  also  find  in 
the  constellations,  and  more  especially  in  that 
sien  of  the  Zodiac  which  we  now  come  to  con- 
sider — Gemini,  usually  called  The  Twins. 

The  Sign  of  Gemini. 
We   have  here    two   youthful-looking   and 

285 


286  THE    GOSPEL    EV    THE    STARS. 

most  beautiful  figures  peacefully  sitting  to- 
gether, with  their  feet  resting  on  the  Milky 
Way.  Their  heads  lean  against  each  other 
in  a  loving  attitude.  The  one  holds  a  great 
club  in  his  right  hand,  whilst  his  left  is  clasped 
around  the  body  of  his  companion.  The  other 
holds  a  harp  in  one  hand  and  a  bow  and  arrow 
in  the  other.  Both  the  club  and  the  bow  and 
arrow  are  in  repose,  the  same  as  the  figures 
which  hold  them.  The  club,  unlifted,  lies 
against  the  shoulder  of  the  one,  and  the  bow, 
unstrung,  rests  in  the  hand  of  the  other.  The 
picture  looks  like  a  readiness  for  warlike  ac- 
tion, but  at  the  same  time  like  a  joyful  repose 
after  a  great  victory  already  gained.  We  will 
presently  see  that  it  really  means  all  that  it 
seems,  and  that  it  significantly  portrays  what 
is  set  forth  in  the  text  and  in  many  places  in 
the  Scriptures. 

Mythic  Accounts. 
The  Greeks  and  Romans  considered  these 
two  figures  the  representatives  of  two  youths, 
twin  brothers,  both  sons  of  Jupiter,  of  very 
peculiar  and  extraordinary  birth.  They  are 
said  to  have  been  with  the  Argonauts  in  the 
contest  for  the  Golden  Fleece,  on  which  oc- 
casion they  displayed  unparalleled  heroism — 


MYTHIC  ACCOUNTS.  287 

the  one  by  achievements  in  arms  and  person- 
al prowess,  and  the  other  in  equestrian  exer- 
cises.    In  the  Grecian  temples  they  were  rep- 
resented as  mounted  on  white  horses,  armed 
with  spears,  riding  side  by  side,  crowned  with 
the  cap  of  the  hunter  tipped  with  a  glittering 
star.     The  belief  was,  that  they  often  appear- 
ed at  the  head  of  the  armies,  and  led  on  the 
troops  to  battle  and  victory — the  one  mounted 
on  a  fiery  steed,  the  other  on  foot,  but  both  as 
invincible  warriors.     After  their  return  from 
Colchis  it  is  said  that  they  cleared  the  Helles- 
pont and  the  neighboring  seas  from  pirates 
and  depredators,  and  hence  were  honored  as 
the  particular  friends  and  protectors  of  navi- 
gation.    An  intimation  of  this  is  given  in  the 
history  of  St.  Paul,  as  the  name  of  the  vessel 
in  which  he  sailed  was  that  of  these  two  fig- 
ures.    It  is  further  said  that  flames  of  fire  were 
betimes  seen  playing  around  their  heads,  and 
that  when    this   occurred   the   tempest  which 
was  tossing  the  ocean  ceased,  and  calm  en- 
sued.    They  were  said  to  have  been  initiated 
into  all  the  mysteries,  and  were  invited  guests 
at  a  great  marriage  at  which  a  severe  conflict 
occurred.      They  were  indissolubly  attached 
to  each  other,  and  Jupiter  rewarded  their  mu- 
tual affection  by   transferring  them  together 


288  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

to  heavenly  immortality.  The  Greeks  and 
Romans  sacrificed  white  lambs  upon  their 
altars,  and  held  them  in  very  high  regard.  It 
was  a  common  thing  to  take  oaths  by  their 
names,  as  indicative  of  the  utmost  truth  and 
verity.  Vulgarly,  the  habit  still  survives  of 
swearing  "by  Gemini." 

Further  accounts  represent  these  two  youths 
as  kings,  and  as  divine  saviors  and  helpers  of 
men,  though  mostly  in  the  character  of  warrior- 
judges.  They  were  supposed  to  preside  over 
the  public  games,  particularly  where  horses 
were  concerned.  War-songs  and  dances  were 
supposed  to  have  originated  with  them,  and 
they  had  much  to  do  in  favoring  and  inspiring 
the  bards  and  poets.  When  Menestheus  was 
endeavoring  to  usurp  the  government  of  Atti- 
ca, they  interfered,  and  devastated  the  country 
around  Athens  until  its  gates  opened  to  them 
and  the  Athenians  submitted  to  them  and  ren- 
dered them  sacred  honors.  They  were  dis- 
tinguished in  the  Calydonian  Hunt,  and  fought 
and  slew  Amycus,  the  gigantic  son  of  the  god 
of  the  sea,  who  challenged  the  Argonauts 
and  had  shown  himself  the  enemy  of  Herakles. 
They  made  invasive  war  to  recover  the  por- 
tions of  which  they  had  been  cunningly  cheat- 
ed, and  succeeded  in  it,  and  chained  much  more 


MYTHIC  ACCOUNTS.  289 

In  addition.  In  this  conflict  the  authors  of  the 
murderous  assaults  upon  them  were  stricken 
down  and  slain  by  the  lightnings  of  Jupiter. 
They  were  assigned  great  power  over  good 
fortune,  and  particularly  over  the  winds  and 
the  waves  of  the  sea. 

Such  are  the  mythic  representations  as  they 
come  through  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  In 
some  other  showings,  however,  these  two 
figures  are  not  of  one  sex.  In  the  Zodiac 
of  Dendera  the  figure  is  that  of  a  man  walk- 
ine  hand  in  hand  with  a  woman.  The  same 
are  sometimes  called  Adam  and  Eve.  But 
the  male  figure  is  not  the  literal  first  Adam, 
but  the  mystic  second  Adam,  the  same  Seed 
of  the  woman  who  everywhere  appears  in 
these  celestial  frescoes.  The  figure  in  the 
Egyptian  sphere  has  an  appendage  which  sig- 
nifies the  Coming  One  —  the  Messiah-Prince 
And  having  identified  the  masculine  figure, 
there  can  be  no  difficulty  in  identifying  the 
accompanying  female  figure.  The  Lamb  has 
a  bride,  a  wife,  bone  of  His  bone  and  flesh 
of  His  flesh,  and  destined  for  an  everlasting 
union  with  Him  in  glory  and  dominion.  And 
this  Eve,  made  out  of  His  side  in  the  deep 
sleep  of  death  to  which  He  submitted  for  the 
purpose,  is  none  other  than  the  Church,  which 

25  T 


29O  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

here  appears  in  celestial  union  with  her  sublime 
Lord.  Even  the  word  Gemini,  in  the  original 
Hebrew,  Arabic,  and  Syriac,  whence  it  has 
come,  does  not  run  so  much  on  the  idea  of 
two  brought  forth  at  the  same  birth,  as  upon 
the  idea  of  something  completed,  as  of  a  year 
come  to  the  full  or  as  of  a  long  betrothal 
brought  to  its  consummation  in  perfected 
marriage.  The  old  Coptic  name  of  this  sign, 
Pi  Alahi,  signifies  the  United,  the  Completely 
joined. 

The  Star- Names. 
And  when  we  closely  examine  the  names 
still  retained  in  this  constellation,  we  find 
ample  indication  that  these  figures  were 
meant  to  set  forth  Christ  and  His  Church 
in  that  ereat  marriage-union  which  is  to  be 
completed  in  the  heavens  during  that  very 
judgment-period  to  which  these  last  four 
signs  refer.  In  the  left  foot  of  the  southern 
figure  of  Gemini  shines  a  conspicuous  star, 
named  Al  Henah,  the  Hurt,  the  Wounded. 
This  figure,  then,  must  refer  to  Him  whose 
heel  was  to  be  bruised.  So  the  principal  star 
in  his  head  is  called  Pollux,  the  Ruler,  the 
Judge,  and  sometimes  Her  aides,  or  Hercules  % 
the  mighty  sufferer  and  toiler,  who  frees  the 


THE   STAR-NAMES.  2QI 

world  of  ail  otherwise  unmanageable  powers 
of  evil.  In  the  centre  of  his  body  is  another 
bright  star,  called  Wasat,  which  means  Set, 
Seated,  or  Put  in  place,  as  where  it  is  said,  "  I 
am  set  on  the  throne  of  Israel,"  "  there  are  set 
thrones  of  judgment,"  "  the  judgment  was  set" 
"  I  am  set  in  my  ward ;"  which  specially  de- 
scribes what  is  prophesied  of  Christ  in  con- 
nection with  the  completion  of  His  marriage 
with  His  Church. 

And,  in  perfect  accord  with  these  indica- 
tions, this  figure  holds  in  his  right  hand  the 
great  club  of  power,  as  the  One  who  bruises 
the  Serpent's  head  and  breaks  in  pieces  all 
antagonisms  to  His  rule  or  to  His  people's 
peace.  The  Egyptians  called  him  Hor,  or 
Horns,  the  Coming  One,  the  son  of  light,  the 
slayer  of  the  serpent,  the  recoverer  of  the 
dominion.  Horus  is  described  in  an  extant 
Egyptian  hymn  as  "  the  son  of  the  sun,"  "  the 
mighty,  the  great  avenger,  the  observer  of 
justice,"  "  the  golden  hawk  coming  for  the 
chastisement  of  all  lands,  the  divinely  benef- 
icent, the  Lord  omnipotent;"  which  corre- 
sponds again  with  the  descriptions  of  the 
Merodach  of  the  ancient  Babylonians,  who  is 
called  the  Rectifier,  the  great  Restorer.  It  is 
the  biblical  description,  almost  literally,  of  the 


2Q 2  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

promised  Redeemer  of  the  world  in  connec- 
tion with  the  judgment. 

The  variation  as  to  the  sex  of  the  other 
figure,  which  is  sometimes  contemplated  as 
a  woman  and  sometimes  as  a  masculine  hero, 
corresponds  also  with  the  biblical  representa- 
tions of  the  Church.  God  calls  Israel  His 
son,  and  also  His  spouse,  the  wife  of  which 
He  is  the  Husband,  the  one  chosen  out  from 
among  the  maidens  and  wedded  to  himself. 
The  bride  of  the  Lamb  in  the  Apocalypse  is 
at  the  same  time  described  as  "a  man-child" 
who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron, 
and  to  that  end  was  "  caught  up  unto  God  and 
to  His  throne." 

Christ's  Union  with  His  Church. 
But  the  two  figures  in  this  sign,  though  in 
some  sense  distinct,  are  really  one,  as  Christ 
and  the  Father  are  one,  and  as  the  man  and 
his  wife  are  one  flesh.  The  union  is  such 
that  one  is  in  the  other,  and  the  two  are  so 
conjoined  that  one  implies  and  embraces  the 
other.  There  is  no  Christ  apart  from  His 
Church,  and  there  is  no  Church  except  in 
Christ.  They  are  two,  and  yet  they  are  one 
— He  in  them,  and  they  in  Him — so  that  what 
is  His  is  theirs,  and  what  is  theirs  is  His.     As 


CHRIST'S   UNION   WITH  HIS   CHURCH        293 

He  is  the  peculiar  Son  of  God,  they  are  pecu- 
liar sons  of  God  in  Him,  and  are  joint-heirs 
with  Him  to  all  that  He  inherits.  Again  and 
again  the  Scriptures  comprehend  Him  in  the 
descriptions  of  the  Church,  and  embrace  them 
in  the  predictions  concerning  Him.  Hence, 
in  the  truer  and  deeper  meaning  of  the  Psalms, 
He  and  His  people  speak  the  same  words, 
pass  through  the  same  experiences,  receive 
the  same  assurances,  and  rejoice  in  the  same 
promises,  hopes,  and  honors.  The  king  often 
disappears  in  the  body  politic,  and  the  body 
politic  still  oftener  disappears  in  the  king. 
And  so  it  is  in  these  two  figures.  They  are 
no  more  twins  than  Christ  and  His  Church 
are  twins,  yet  they  are  both  the  peculiar  sons 
of  God ;  whilst  the  birth  of  the  one  was  vir- 
tually and  really  the  birth  of  the  other. 

Hence,  also,  the  names  and  qualities  which 
appear  in  the  one  are  at  the  same  time  con- 
sumable with  both,  because  they  coexist  in 
one  another.  They  are  Bridegroom  and 
bride,  but  they  are  at  the  same  time  together 
the  one  Man-Child  appointed  to  rule  all  na- 
tions with  a  rod  of  iron.  Accordingly,  the 
one  is  called  Pollux  and  Herakles — the  Ruler, 
the  Judge,  the  Toiling  Deliverer;  and  the 
other  is  called  Castor  and  Apollo — the  Coming 

25* 


294  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Ruler  or  Judge,  "  born  of  the  light,"  who  pun- 
ishes and  destroys  the  wicked  and  unright- 
eous, who  brings  help  and  wards  off  evil,  whc 
has  the  spirit  of  prophecy  and  sacred  song, 
who  protects  and  keeps  the  flocks,  and  who 
deliehts  in  the  founding  and  establishment  of 
cities,  kingdoms,  and  settled  rule  and  order 
among  men.  It  is  not  the  one  by  himself  in 
either  case,  but  the  one  in  and  with  the  other, 
conjoined  and  perfected  in  the  same  admin- 
istration— Christ  with  the  Church,  and  the 
Church  with  Christ,  as  the  one  all-ruling  Man- 
Child  under  whom  the  whole  earth  shall  be 
delivered  from  misrule  and  oppression,  the 
eternal  kingdom  come,  and  the  entire  world 
enjoy  its  unending  Sabbath. 

At  present  this  union  of  Christ  with  His 
Church,  though  real  and  the  very  life  of  Chris- 
tianity, is  mystic,  hidden,  and  not  yet  fully  re- 
vealed. The  Church  is  yet  intermixed  and 
held  down  by  earthiness  and  the  power  of 
mortality  and  death.  All  this  needs  to  be 
stripped  off  and  immortality  put  en,  as  has 
been  accomplished  in  the  case  of  Christ  the 
Head,  who  is  now  already  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  Father.  What  has  happened  in  His 
deliverance,  triumph,  and  exaltation  needs 
also   to   be   wrought  out  in  the  case  of  His 


THE   MARRIAGE    OF   THE   LAMB.  295 

members,  the  Church.  Our  complete  union 
with  Him  can  only  be  when  this  mortal  has 
put  on  immortality  and  death  is  swallowed  up 
of  life ;  which  occurs  when  the  sainted  dead 
are  raised,  and  they,  together  with  those  of 
His  who  are  then  still  alive,  are  caught  up  in 
incorruption  to  meet  Him  in  the  heavenly 
spaces.  But  what  is  as  yet  mystic  and  unre- 
vealed  is  hereafter  to  be  openly,  formally,  and 
most  gloriously  exhibited  and  shown  in  living 
and  eternal  fact 

The  Marriage  of  the  Lamb. 
Hence,  in  the  Apocalyptic  pictures  of  the 
ongoing  judgment-period,  after  the  Man-Child 
has  been  born  into  immortality,  and  is  caught 
up  to  God,  and  has  overcome  the  opposing 
Dragon  and  his  angels  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  and  the  word  of  their  testimony,  and 
immediately  before  Christ  and  His  people 
come  forth  riding  on  white  horses  for  the 
overthrow  of  the  Beast  and  his  armies,  we 
hear  the  voice  of  gladness  and  rejoicing,  and 
the  giving  of  glory  to  the  All-Ruler,  in  that 
"the  Marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come'"  and  the 
word  of  blessing  goes  forth  upon  all  who  are 
"  called  to  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  " 
(Rev.  19  :  7-9). 


296  THE   GOSPEL    IN  THE   STARS. 

Just  what  this  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is,  or 
what  celestial  formalities  and  demonstrations 
it  embraces,  no  man  is  able  definitely  to  tell. 
We  know,  in  general  terms,  that  the  Bride- 
groom is  Christ,  after  He  has  taken  to  Him 
His  great  power  and  is  about  to  proceed  to 
the  utter  destruction  of  His  enemies,  and  that 
the  bride  is  the  Church,  the  completed  assem- 
bly of  the  elect,  after  they  have  all  been  gath- 
ered to  their  Lord  in  triumphant  immortality. 
We  know  also  that  it  involves  some  formal 
and  manifest  ceremonial,  by  which  He  takes, 
acknowledges,  and  fully  endows  His  glorified 
Church  as  thenceforward  and  for  ever  con- 
joined with  himself  in  closest  and  inseparable 
unity,  to  move  as  He  moves,  to  reign  as  He 
reigns,  to  judge  and  make  war  as  He  judges 
and  makes  war,  and  to  be  one  with  Him  in  all 
the  possessions,  administrations,  joys,  honors, 
and  achievements  which  pertain  to  Him  then 
and  world  without  end.  It  is  the  formal  and 
eternal  perfecting  of  them  in  Him,  and  of 
Him  in  them,  in  a  union  as  ineffable  as  it  is 
unendine. 

And  this  is  the  precise  thing  alluded  to  in 
the  text  and  pictorially  given  in  the  sign  of 
Gemini.  The  very  name,  the  attitudes  of  the 
figures,  and  the  order  of  place  occupied  by 


THE   MARRIAGE    OF   THE   LAMB.  297 

this  sien,  as  well  as  the  star-names  in  it  and 
all  the  mythic  stories  connected  with  it,  com- 
bine to  fix  this  as  its  truest  and  fullest  mean- 
ing, as  intended  by  the  mind  that  framed  it 
and  gave  out  the  original  instructions  con- 
cerning  it.  It  is  God's  sign  in  the  heavens 
of  the  coming  marriage  and  union  of  the  Seed 
of  the  woman  with  His  redeemed  Church,  pre- 
cisely as  the  same  is  set  forth  in  all  His  word 
as  the  hope  and  joy  of  His  people,  to  be  ful- 
filled at  His  revelation  and  coming. 

Thus,  then,  we  find  the  true  Castor  and 
Pollux,  the  peculiar  sons  of  God,  whose  bra- 
very secures  the  prize  of  the  Golden  Fleece, 
who  share  in  the  same  trials,  sufferings,  labors, 
triumphs,  and  glories,  and  with  whom  is  the 
holy  wisdom,  the  prophetic  inspiration,  the 
leadership  of  armies  that  fight  for  human 
rights  and  liberty,  the  patronage  of  holy  hero- 
ism and  sacred  song,  the  upholding  of  truth 
and  righteousness,  the  only  salvation  for  op- 
pressed and  afflicted  man.  These  are  the 
true  kings,  ordained  to  rule  all  nations  with 
a  rod  of  iron,  to  chastise  and  destroy  the  re- 
bellious and  incorrigible,  to  hunt  out  and  pun- 
ish wickedness  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
and  to  be  revealed  in  flaming  fire  as  warrior- 
judges  on  white  horses,  to  put  down  usurpers, 


298  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

fight  the  gigantic  son  of  the  god  of  this  world, 
hurl  the  dread  Antichrist  and  his  hordes  to 
sudden  perdition,  revenge  the  blood  of  mar- 
tyrs on  those  who  shed  it,  apportion  law  and 
destiny  to  the  earthly  peoples,  and  sit  and 
reign  in  immortal  regency  over  all  the  after 
generations.  (See  my  Lectures  on  the  Apoc- 
alypse, vol.  iii.) 

And  what  we  thus  find  in  the  siom  is  further 

o 

signified  in  the  accompanying  Decans. 

Lepus. 
The  first  of  these,  as  given  in  our  plani- 
spheres, is  Lepus,  the  figure  of  a  gigantic 
hare.  In  the  Arabic  it  is  called  Arnebeth, 
which  means  the  Hct7'e,  but  also  has  the  sig- 
nification of  Enemy  of  the  Coming.  In  the  Per- 
sian and  Egyptian  Zodiacs  the  figure  is  a 
serpent^  trodden  under  Orion's  foot,  with  this 
further  addition  in  the  Egyptian,  that  the  ser- 
pent is  also  caught  in  the  claws  of  a  seeming 
hawk.  It  is  also  called  Bashti-Beki,  the  Offend- 
er confounded.  The  mythic  account  of  this  hare 
is,  that  it  is  one  of  the  animals  which  Orion 
most  delighted  in  hunting,  and  hence  was 
placed  near  him  in  the  stars.  In  the  picture 
Orion  is  in  the  act  of  crushing  this  hare  with 
his  great  foot.     And  the  names  of  the  stars 


SIK1US.  299 

which  it  includes — Nibal,  Rakis,  and  Sugia — 
mean  the  Mad,  the  Caught,  the  Deceiver. 

From  these  indications  it  is  sufficiently  man- 
ifest that  this  constellation  was  meant  to  show 
and  record  the  nearing  end  of  the  Enemy,  and 
the  close  proximity  of  his  utter  overthrow  when 
once  the  heavenly  marriage  is  celebrated. 

And  this  is  precisely  the  showing  made  in 
the  Scriptures,  particularly  in  the  Apocalypse. 
The  lifting-  of  the  Church  into  its  destined 
union  with  Christ  in  glory  is  a  stunning  blow 
to  the  whole  empire  of  darkness,  and  the  sure 
herald  of  its  utter  dissolution  then  speedily  to 
follow.  No  sooner  is  it  announced  that  "  the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come "  than  the 
heaven  opens,  and  He  who  is  called  Faithful 
and  True  rides  forth  upon  the  white  horse, 
in  righteousness  to  judge  and  make  war,  and 
all  the  armies  of  heaven  follow  Him  on  white 
horses,  and  the.  Beast  and  the  False  Prophet 
are  taken,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  their 
armies  are  slain  with  the  sword  of  this  invin- 
cible host  (Rev.  19  :  6-21). 

Sirius. 
The  second  Decan  confirms  and  sustains 
the    same    presentation.      This    is    the    great 
Dog,  anciently  the    Wolf,  the  special  hunter 


300  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

and  devourer  of  the  hare.  In  the  Dendera 
Zodiac  the  figure  is  the  Eagle  or  Hawk,  the 
particular  enemy  of  the  Serpent,  having  on 
his  head  a  double  mark  of  crownings  with 
power  and  majesty,  and  standing  on  the  top 
of  a  great  mace  as  the  triumphant  royal 
Breaker  and  Bruiser  of  the  powers  of  evil. 
The  principal  star  in  this  constellation  is  the 
most  brilliant  and  fiery  in  all  the  heavens. 

"  All  others  he  excels  ;  no  fairer  light 
Ascends  the  skies,  none  sets  so  clear  and  bright." 

But  it  is  associated  with  burning  heat,  pesti- 
lence, and  disaster  to  the  earth  and  the  chil- 
dren of  men.     Homer  sung-  of  it  as  a  star 

"  Whose  burning  breath 
Taints  the  red  air  with  fevers,  plagues,  and  death." 

Virgil  speaks  of  blighted  fields,  a  smitten 
earth,  and  suffering  beasts,  because  this  star 

"  With  pestilential  heat  infects  the  skv." 

This  star  is  called  Sirius,  from  Sir  or  Seir, 
which  means  Prince,  Guardian,  the  Victorious. 
Taken  in  connection  with  the  name  of  the 
figure  in  the  Egyptian  sphere,  as  often  given, 
we  have  Naz-Seir  or  Nazir  ;  and  we  know 
who  it  was  that  was  to  be  called  Naz-seir-ene. 
Naz-Seir  means  the  Sent  Prince.     So  the  Rod 


sixius.  301 

promised  to  come  forth  from  the  stem  or 
stump  of  Jesse  is  called  Netzer  in  the  He- 
brew Bible,  there  translated  the  Branch,  the 
princely  Scion,  who  should  "  smite  the  earth 
with  the  rod  of  His  mouth,  and  slay  the 
wicked  with  the  breath  of  His  lips."  Not, 
then,  only  because  Christ  spent  His  earlier 
years  at  an  obscure  little  village  by  the  name 
of  Nazareth,  but,  above  all,  because  He  was 
the  Sent  Prince,  the  Messiah,  the  Branch,  at 
once  the  Netzer  of  Isaiah  and  the  Naz-Seir 
of  these  equally  prophetic  constellations. 
From  the  earliest  ages  of  Christianity  till 
now  interpreters  and  defenders  of  the  Scrip- 
tures have  been  at  a  loss  to  explain  by  what 
prophet  or  in  what  sacred  prophecy  it  was 
said,  as  claimed  by  the  Apostle,  that  Christ 
should  be  called  a  Nazarene ;  but  here,  from 
a  most  unexpected  quarter,  we  find  the  near- 
est and  most  literal  foreshowing  of  that  very 
name,  given  in  place  as  a  designation  of  the 
Seed  of  the  woman,  and  describing  Him  as 
the  Sent  Prince,  the  lordly  Eagle,  the  appoint- 
ed tearer  in  pieces  and  extirpator  of  the 
whole  serpent  brood.  And  in  this  Naz-Seir, 
or  Naz-Sirius,  we  are  to  see  Him  of  whom 
Matthew  said,  "  He  came  and  dwelt  in  a  city 
called    Nazareth,    that    it    might    be    fulfilled 

26 


302  THE   GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS. 

which  was   spoken  by  the  prophets,    He   shall 
be  called  Naz-Seir-ene"  (Matt.  2  ;  23). 

In  accord  with  this,  the  second  star  of  this 
constellation  is  called  Mirzam,  the  Ruler ;  the 
third,  Muliphen,  the  Leader,  the  Chieftain; 
the  fourth,  Wesen,  Shining,  Illustrious,  Scarlet; 
the  fifth,  Adhara,  the  Glorious ;  and  another, 
Al  Habor,  the  Mighty.  It  would  verily  seem 
as  if  we  were  selecting  a  list  of  scriptural  ex- 
pressions concerning  our  Redeemer  when  we 
thus  give  the  sense  of  these  astronomic  names. 
Their  meaning  is  most  truly  significant  when 
understood  of  Christ,  but  they  are  worse 
than  absurd  if  we  are  to  understand  them 
of  an  Egyptian  dog.  Nor  will  these  show- 
ings interpret  at  all  except  as  applied  to  the 
scene,  subject,  and  period  of  which  Gemini, 
as  I  have  explained,  is  the  central  sign. 

The  Sublime  Prince. 
A  magnificent  picture  of  the  Sun  is  that 
which  the  Psalmist  gives,  where  he  repre- 
sents him  as  a  bridegroom,  glowing  under 
his  wedding-canopy,  exulting  like  a  mighty 
man  to  run  his  race,  and  going  forth  from 
one  horizon  to  the  other  with  a  power  of 
heat  and  brightness  from  which  nothingr  can 
hide.     But  what  is  thus  said  of   the  natural 


THE   SUBLIME  PRINCE.  303 

Sun  is  still  more  thrillingly  true  of  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness  in  the  case  before  us.  He 
is  the  Bridegroom,  for  "  the  marriage  of  the 
Lamb  is  come."  He  stands  under  the  wed- 
ding-canopy, the  Illustrious,  the  Glorious, 
ready  for  revelation  in  the  brightness  of  His 
appearing,  and  exulting  to  go  forth  in  all  His 
invincible  energy  to  search  and  try  the  earth 
from  end  to  end,  revealing  everything,  test- 
ing everything,  and  bringing  burning,  death, 
and  destruction   to  whatever  is  found  lifting1 

o 

itself  against  Him  as  "  the  King-  of  kines  and 
Lord  of  lords." 

In  this  attitude  and  in  these  relations  He  is 
the  Hunter  and  Destroyer  of  the  Hare,  the 
true  Naz-Seir-ene,  the  Appointed  Prince,  the 
lordly  Eagle,  the  Destroyer  of  the  Serpent. 
Here  especially  He  is  the  mighty,  the  glori- 
ous, the  Prince  of  the  right  hand,  as  the  Ar- 
abic has  it,  the  Chief  leading  His  hosts  to 
effective  victory.  Here  heat  and  burning 
and  plague  and  death  attend  upon  His  going 
forth,  and  men  are  smitten  and  scorched  ;  as 
it  is  written  :  "  Their  flesh  shall  consume 
away  while  they  stand  upon  their  feet,  and 
their  eyes  shall  consume  away  in  their  sock- 
ets, and  their  tongue  shall  consume  away  in 
their  mouth"   (Zech.   14:12);    "for   the   day 


304  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

of  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  be  upon  every  one 
that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  upon  every  one 
that  is  lifted  up,  and  the  loftiness  of  man 
shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the  haughtiness 
of  men  shall  be  made  low,  and  the  Lord 
alone  shall  be  exalted  in  that  day"  (Isa.  2  : 
12-17)  '  "And  out  of  His  mouth  goeth  a 
sharp  sword,  that  with  it  He  should  smite  the 
nations ;  and  He  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron  ;  and  He  treadeth  the  winepress  of 
the  fierceness  of  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God" 
(Rev.  19:  15). 

It  is  the  same  picture  of  the  same  identical 
scene  described  by  Isaiah  (63),  where  it  is 
asked,  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom, 
with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah  ?  this  that 
is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the 
greatness  of  his  strength  ?"  To  which  He 
answers :  "  I  that  speak  in  righteousness, 
mighty  to  save."  And  where  the  further 
inquiry  is  put :  "  Wherefore  art  thou  red  in 
thine  apparel,  and  thy  garments  like  him  that 
treadeth  thewinefat?"  And  the  further  an- 
iwer  is  :  "I  have  trodden  the  winepress  alone  ; 
and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with  me : 
for  I  will  tread  them  in  mine  anger,  and 
trample  them  in  my  fury;  and  their  blood 
shall  be  sprinkled  upon  my  garments,  and  I 


THE    COMPANION  OF  SIRIUS.  305 

will  stain  all  my  raiment  For  the  day  of 
vengeance  is  in  mine  heart,  and  the  year  of 
my  redeemed  is  come.  .  .  .  And  I  will  tread 
down  the  people  in  mine  anger,  and  make 
them  drunk  in  my  fury,  and  I  will  bring  down 
their  strength  to  the  earth."  Here  is  the 
true  Polhix,  the  real  Sirius,  the  mighty  Chief- 
tain, the  Wolf  or  Eagle  coming  upon  the 
enemy,  the  glorious  Hero  of  salvation,  ar- 
rayed in  brightness  and  scarlet,  and  triumph- 
ing in  the  greatness  of  His  strength. 

All  the  features  in  the  sien  thus  harmoni- 
ously  weave  into  one  consistent  and  magnifi- 
cent showing,  which  is  the  same  in  the  stars 
as  in  the  written  prophecies. 

The  Companion  of  Sirius. 
But  when  the  elorious  Sun  of  Riehteous- 
ness  thus  comes  forth  in  His  majesty  from 
under  the  wedding-canopy,  "  clothed  with  a 
vesture  dipped  in  blood,"  riding  upon  the 
white  horse,  and  sending  out  His  mighty 
sword  to  smite  the  nations  and  hurl  the 
Beasts  and  their  followers  to  perdition,  He 
comes  not  alone.  The  armies  of  the  heaven 
follow  Him  on  white  horses,  wearing  the  clean 
linen  of  saintly  righteousness.  He  is  the 
Head,  the  Leader,  the  Chief,  but  behind  Him 

26*  U 


306  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE  STARS. 

are  His  elect  myriads,  warrior-judges  like 
himself.  He  is  married  now,  and  His  bride 
is  with  her  Husband.  "  To  execute  ven- 
geance upon  the  nations  and  punishments 
upon  the  people ;  to  bind  their  kings  with 
chains,  and  their  nobles  with  fetters  of  iron  ; 
to  execute  upon  them  the  judgment  written  : 
this  honor  have  all  the  saints"  (Ps.  149  :  7—9). 

And  to  bring  out  this  feature  there  is  added 
a  third  Decan  of  Gemini — the  second  Dogr 
or  Wolf.  It  differs  from  the  first  only  in  be- 
ing smaller  and  feebler,  and  following  a  little 
behind  the  first ;  for  the  saints  by  this  time 
are  all  like  unto  their  Lord,  and  follow  Him 
whithersoever  He  goeth.  Princeliness  is  in 
them  also,  though  the  Arabic  astronomy  des- 
ignates them  as  the  Prince  of  the  left  hand, 
as  it  calls  Him  the  Prince  of  the  ri^ht  hand. 
In  the  Egyptian  Zodiac  this  constellation  has 
a  human  figure  with  the  Eagle's  head  ;  hence 
a  sign  of  humanity  exalted  to  power  and  au- 
thority against  the  Serpent-seed.  It  is  called 
Sebak — that  is,  Conquering,  Victorious. 

The  name  of  the  principal  star,  a  very 
bright  star  of  the  first  magnitude — and  from 
that  star  the  name  of  the  constellation  itself 
on  our  planispheres — is  Procyon,  which,  in  its 
Noetic    elements,   is    associated    in    meaning 


THE   MYTHS.  307 

with  redemption,  and  may  mean  Redeemed  or 
Redeeming,  or  both,  and  well  describes  the 
body  of  the  glorified  saints.  The  term  Al 
Mirzam  occurs  here  also,  as  in  the  second 
Decan,  and  ascribes  rulership  to  what  is  here 
symbolized,  the  same  as  to  the  Head  Prince 
going  before ;  just  as  Christ  has  promised  to 
His  faithful  people  that  they  shall  share  His 
throne  and  sovereignty  and  "  reign  with  Him 
for  ever  and  ever."  The  second  star  in  this 
constellation  bears  the  name  of  Al  Gomeiza, 
which  in  signification  also  refers  to  redemp- 
tion, and  seems  to  include  particularly  the 
previous  history  of  the  saints,  as,  like  their 
Lord,  once  burdened,  loaded  dozen,  enduring 
for  the  sake  of  others. 

The  Myths. 
The  myths  touching  this  Dog  are  varied. 
Some  say  he  represents  the  Egyptian  god 
Anubis,  which  was  the  god  that  took  charge 
of  the  dying  and  carried  them  to  judgment 
Others  say  it  refers  to  Diana  and  her  hunt- 
ing and  destroying  of  wild  beasts.  Some 
say  he  is  the  dog  of  Icarus,  who  revealed 
the  place  where  the  murderers  of  his  master 
had  hid  the  body  of  their  victim,  and  thus 
was  the  occasion  of  various  sad  and  disturb- 


308  THE    GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

ing  calamities.  And  still  other  accounts  rep- 
resent this  Dog  as  one  of  the  hounds  of 
Actaeon,  which  in  madness  devoured  their 
master  after  Diana  had  turned  him  into  a 
stag.  Actaeon  was  a  trained  and  cunning 
hunter  who  was  impertinent  toward  Artemis, 
the  goddess  of  purity  and  justice,  and  had 
command  over  sufferings,  plagues,  and  death. 
He  boasted  himself  against  her,  and  even 
appropriated  to  himself  and  associates  what 
was  sacred  to  her.  Hence  these  judgments 
came  upon  him  and  made  an  end  of  him. 

These  stories  agree  in  nothing  except  in 
the  recognition  of  some  good  agency  or 
heavenly  power  at  work  to  bring  the  erring 
to  account,  and  to  give  trouble  and  death  to 
the  proud,  the  offending,  and  the  intractable. 
But  in  this  they  all  accord  with  the  character 
and  office  which  the  Scriptures  ascribe  to  the 
glorified  Church  in  connection  with  what  fol- 
lows immediately  on  the  marriage  of  the 
Lamb.  They  help  to  strengthen  the  chain 
of  evidence  identifying  Procyon  as  the  starry 
symbol  of  those  heavenly  armies  which  come 
forth  along  with  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord 
of  lords  to  the  battle  of  the  great  day  of  God 
Almighty,  to  make  an  end  of  misrule  and 
usurpation  on   earth,  and  clear  it  of  all  the 


SUMMARY  ON  GEMINI.  309 

wild  beasts  which  have  been    devastating  it 
for  these  many  ages. 

Summary  on  Gemini. 
Thus,  then,  the  records  in  the  stars  com- 
bine with  the  records  in  the  Book  to  picture 
to  us  a  most  sublime  destiny  for  the  congre- 
gation of  believers.  They  are  betrothed  to 
Christ  even  now,  and  love  Him,  and  oft  have 
sweet  and  blessed  communion  with  Him  ;  but 
it  is  only  through  veils  and  intervening  ordi- 
nances, by  faith  and  not  by  sight.  The  time 
is  coming  when  these  veils  shall  be  removed, 
and  God's  people  shall  meet  Him  face  to 
face,  and  see  tne  King  in  His  beauty,  and  be 
joined  with  Him  in  all  the  intimacies  of  love, 
fellowship,  and  oneness,  being  made  copart- 
ners with  Him  in  all  He  has  and  is  and  does, 
yea,  the  loved  and  loving  participants  in  all 
His  glory,  throne,  and  immortal  administra- 
tions. They  shall  not  only  "  stand  in  the 
judgment,"  but  they  shall  be  lifted  when  it 
comes,  "  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the 
air,"  to  be  with  Him  as  no  other  beings  are 
with  Him,  even  as  His  bride  and  wife.  And 
when  His  power  goes  forth  to  plague  the 
wicked  world,  avenge  the  blood  of  the  mar- 
tyrs,   overwhelm    the    great    Beast    and     hi. 


3IO  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

armies,  rid  the  world  of  all  the  wild  beasts 
of  usurpation  and  unrighteousness  which 
have  infested  it  so  long,  and  reduce  the  re- 
fractory nations  and  peoples  to  just  and  right- 
ful authority  by  the  force  of  an  iron  sceptre 
to  which  all  must  bow  or  be  dashed  to  pieces, 
they  shall  be  one  with  Him  in  the  terrific 
manifestations  and  be  co-administrants  of 
that  irresistible  almightiness.  They  in  Him, 
and  He  in  them,  shall  be  the  Castor  and 
Pollux  of  the  world  to  come,  supremely  bless- 
ed in  each  other,  and  making  blessed,  putting 
glad  songs  where  tears  and  groans  have 
moaned  their  miserere,  and  settling  every- 
thing into  the  order,  peace,  and  permanence 
of  that  divine  kingdom  when  all  shall  be  "  on 
earth  as  it  is  in  heaven." 

O  glorious  outcome  for  these  toils  and  fears 
and  trials  and  misgivings  in  faith's  weary  pil- 
grimage !  Death  gone  !  Mortality  swallowed 
up  of  life  !  Union  with  the  King  complete  ! 
Vicissitude,  peradventure,  doubt,  and  disabil- 
ity clean  swept  away  for  ever !  The  throne, 
the  dominion,  and  the  glory  secure !  What 
a  blessedness  is  this  !  Who  shall  sing  it  as 
it  merits  ? 

"  Blest  seats !  through  rude  and  stormy  scenes 
I  onward  press  to  you." 


Eecftire  ©Ijtrtemtij. 

THE  BLESSED  POSSESSION. 

Gen  22  :  17  :  "I  will  multiply  thy  seed  as  the  stars  of  the  heaven, 
and  as  the  sand  which  is  upon  the  sea-shore ;  and  thy  seed  shall  pos- 
sess the  gate  of  his  enemies." 

THIS  is  part  of  the  oath  which  God  swore 
unto  Abraham  after  the  test  of  his  faith 
in  the  offering  of  his  son  Isaac.  It  applied 
in  part  to  the  believing  patriarch's  natural 
seed,  but  more  especially  to  Christ  and  the 
multitudinous  seed  of  faith,  who  are  also 
u  the  seed  of  Abraham."  This  is  made  clear 
in  the  writings  of  St.  Paul,  who  tells  us  that 
"  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  were  the  promises 
made ;  not  to  seeds,  as  of  many,  but  as  of 
one — thy  Seed — which  is  Christ"  (Gal.  3:16); 
"and  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's 
seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise" 
(Gal.  3  :  29). 

We  do  not  therefore  strain  or  misapply  the 
text  when  we  understand  it  of  Christ  and  the 
Church,  and  say  that  to  these  the  divine  prom- 
ise  is   to   multiply  them   as   the   stars   of  the 

311 


312  THE  GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

sky  and  the  sands  on  the  sea-shore,  and  to 
give  them  victory  and  success  to  take  the 
gate  of  their  enemies,  and  possess  the  same 
for  ever.  And  the  ultimate  fulfilment  of  this 
promise  is  what  we  find  symbolized  in  the 
stars  by  the  sign  of  Cancer  and  the  constel- 
lations which  form  its  Decans. 

The  Sign  of  Cancer. 
In  our  planispheres  we  have  here  the  pic- 
ture of  a  gigantic  Crab.  It  is  the  same  in  the 
Parsi,  Hindoo,  and  Chinese  Zodiacs,  and  hence 
is  supposed  to  have  been  the  same  in  the 
Chaldean  and  original  representations  ;  but 
in  the  Egyptian  sphere  the  figure  is  the  Sca- 
rabceus,  or  sacred  beetle,  which  some  take  as 
having  been  the  original  figure.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  decide  which  is  the  most  ancient,  but 
either  serves  well  to  express  the  meaning 
which  clearly  attaches  to  this  sign. 

The  Crab. 
The  crab  is  an  animal  born  of  the  water, 
as  the  Church  is  "born  of  water  and  of  the 
Spirit."  Its  rows  of  legs,  on  opposite  sides, 
give  the  idea  of  multitudinous  development 
and  numerous  members,  as  the  promise  here 
is  with  regard  to  the  Church,  and  as  is  signi- 


THE   CRAB.  313 

fied  in  the  sign  of  the  Fishes,  which  is  a  spe- 
cial symbol  of  the  Church. 

In  the  progress  of  the  crab's  development 
and  growth  it  undergoes  important  changes. 
The  most  marked  of  these  is  the  periodic 
throwing  off  of  its  old  shells  and  the  taking  on 
of  new  ones.  In  its  earlier  life  these  changes 
involve  alterations  in  the  whole  form  and 
shape  of  the  animal.  And  so  the  Church,  in 
the  process  of  its  earthly  development  and 
growth,  passes  from  dispensation  to  dispensa- 
tion, and  each  individual  saint  first  puts  off  the 
old  man  with  his  deeds,  and  puts  on  the  new 
man  which  is  renewed  after  the  image  of 
Him  that  created  him,  and  then  lays  off  "  the 
body  of  this  death "  in  order  to  be  "  clothed 
upon  with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven, 
that  mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life." 
And  these  several  changes,  both  general  and 
personal,  are  all  entirely  completed  by  the 
time  the  Church  comes  to  occupy  the  place 
indicated  by  this  sign. 

The  crab  is  also  armed  with  two  powerful 
hands  or  claws,  by  which  it  grasps  hold  with 
wonderful  force  and  securely  retains  what- 
ever it  takes.  And  so  it  is  with  the  people 
of  God.  Having,  like  Mary,  "  chosen  the 
good  part,"  or,  like  the  patriarchs,  "  embraced 


27 


314  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

the  promises,"  or,  like  the  apostles,  "  lain  hold 
of  the  hope  set  before  us,"  they  come  into 
the  possession  of  the  incorruptible  and  heav- 
enly inheritance,  and  retain  it  with  a  grasp  so 
firm  and  strong  that  it  "  shall  not  be  taken 
away." 

The  Scarab^us. 
And  so  again  with  the  scarab&us.  This  is 
a  creature  whose  career  exhibits  very  marked 
and  significant  transformations.  The  first 
period  of  its  existence  is  passed  in  a  dark, 
drear,  subterranean  abode,  where  its  senses 
are  feeble,  its  powers  circumscribed,  unglad- 
dened  by  pleasant  sights,  oft  terrified  by  un- 
intelligible voices  from  the  sunlit  world  above, 
compelled  to  eat  and  live  amid  filth,  and  with 
no  worthier  employment  than  to  grow  and 
wait  for  future  changes.  And  so  it  is  with 
the  earthly  Church  and  the  children  of  God  in 
this  present  life.  With  all  that  may  be  said 
of  us  here,  we  are  the  slaves  of  toil  and  suf- 
fering, full  of  darkness,  doubt,  and  uncertain- 
ty, loaded  with  grovelling  cares,  the  sport  of 
ever-recurring  accidents  which  we  cannot  ex- 
plain, pushed  and  cramped  and  crowded  by 
others  no  better  off  than  ourselves — mere 
knots  of  incapacities  and  troubles  like  earth- 


THE   SCARAB^US.  315 

born  and  dirt-fed  grubs,  though  bearing  in  us 
the  germs  and  beginnings  of  eventual  glory 
and  blessedness. 

Having  dragged  out  the  time  apportioned 
to  its  first  condition,  the  scarabaeus  is  next 
transformed  into  quite  another.  Nature's 
hand  now  swaths  it  into  a  chrysalis.  Ac- 
tivity ceases.  Food  can  no  longer  be  taken. 
The  avenues  of  the  senses  are  closed.  The 
functions  of  life  are  put  in  abeyance,  though 
soon  to  open  out  into  still  another  form  of 
existence.  And  so  our  earthly  life  terminates 
in  death  and  passes  into  the  mummy  con- 
dition— that  peculiar  middle  stage  in  which 
our  inner  being  still  lives  on,  but  in  quies- 
cence and  rest,  which  the  Scriptures  call 
"  sleep,"  which  no  cares  or  wants  invade,  and 
in  which  the  embalmed  body  awaits  the  call 
of  resurrection  to  reappear  with  new  and 
augmented   powers. 

And  when  this  period  of  peaceful  inaction 
is  completed  the  swathed  creature  suddenly 
breaks  from  its  chrysalis,  and  bursts  forth 
into  an  exaltation  of  being-  which  has  for  ever 
left  behind  it  every  vestige  of  the  low  con- 
ditions in  which  its  earlier  life  was  spent. 
What  painfully  and  gloomily  crawled  in  the 
filthy   earth    and    darkness    now    spurns    the 


316  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

dust,  takes  wings  like  a  bird,  soars  at  large 
in  the  bright  sunshine  whithersoever  it  will, 
and  becomes  a  dweller  in  air,  with  the  liber- 
ties of  a  free  heaven.  Filled  now  with  lov- 
ing affections  and  marvellous  sagacity,  it 
builds  a  house  for  its  treasure,  and  holds  it 
fast  as  it  rolls  it  out  with  unwearied  devotion 
into  the  vast  unknown.  And  thus  from  the 
mummy  form  of  the  sleeping  saints  there  is 
to  come  a  sudden  bursting  forth,  when  bodies 
terrestrial  shall  be  supplanted  by  bodies  celes- 
tial, and  what  was  earthy  becomes  heavenly, 
and  what  was  corruptible  puts  on  in  corrup- 
tion, and  what  was  ignoble  becomes  glorious, 
and  what  was  natural  takes  all  the  attributes 
and  capacities  of  enfranchised  spiritual  being, 
to  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  and  to  en- 
joy the  light  and  love  and  liberty  of  heaven, 
in  no  way  inferior  to  the  angels.  And  thus, 
with  the  goal  of  our  being  reached  and  the 
treasure  of  our  hearts  in  hand,  the  promise 
is  that  we  shall  hold  it  secure  world  without 
end. 

There  was  scarce  a  creature  on  earth  which 
the  old  Egyptians  made  so  much  of  as  this 
scarabaeus  beetle.  The  stones  of  their  finger- 
rings  and  shoe-latchets,  the  seals  of  their 
priests  and  nobles,  the  ornaments  and  amu- 


PR&SEPE.  317 

lets  worn  on  their  bodies,  the  tokens  of  their 
guilds  and  orders,  the  memorials  of  their 
marriages,  and  the  last  mark  put  upon  the 
mummies  of  their  dead,  were  shaped  into  the 
form  of  the  scarabseus.  Men  have  wondered 
why  this  was,  and  faulted  the  taste  of  people  l 
so  attached  to  a  filthy  bug.  It  was  not  on  ac- 
count of  its  beauty  surely,  nor  on  account  of 
any  great  service  rendered  by  it  to  their 
country  or  their  crops.  But  it  was  the  figure 
in  their  Zodiac — the  star-sign  of  perfected 
being,  the  progress  of  which  from  darkness 
to  light,  from  death  to  resurrection,  from 
earthly  disability  to  heavenly  glory,  from  the 
vicissitudes  of  time  to  the  secure  possession 
of  the  treasures  of  eternity,  they  could  see 
and  trace  in  this  beetle  at  almost  every  step 
throughout  all  their  land,  and  with  which  the 
primitive  traditions  had  taught  them  to  con- 
nect the  most  precious  hopes  of  man.  This 
explains  the  mystery  and  tells  the  story,  and 
helps  us  greatly  in  identifying  the  meaning 
which  the  primeval  patriarchs  understood 
and  intended  to  express  in  this  eleventh  sign 
of  the  Zodiacal  series. 

Pilesepe. 
In  the  centre  of  this  constellation  there  is 

27* 


31  8  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

one  of  the  brightest  nebulous  clusters  in  the 
starry  sky,  and  sufficiently  luminous  to  be 
be  seen  betimes  with  the  naked  eye.  It  looks 
like  the  nucleus  of  a  great  comet,  and  has 
often  been  taken  for  one.  It  is  made  up  of 
a  multitude  of  little  stars,  and  is  often  desig- 
nated in  modern  astronomy  as  the  Bee-hive. 
The  ancients  called  it  Prcesepe,  which,  in  its 
Arabic  and  Hebrew  elements,  means  the 
Multitude,  Offspring,  the  Young,  the  Innumer- 
able Seed — the  very  idea  in  the  text.  The 
Latins  understood  by  it  the  manger  from 
which  the  asses  were  fed,  the  stall,  the  sta- 
ble, the  fold,  and  hence  a  house  of  enter- 
tainment, the  place  into  which  travellers  gath- 
ered for  refreshment  and  rest.  The  same 
idea  is  expressed  by  Moses  in  connection 
with  Issachar,  to  whom  the  Jews  referred 
this  sign,  where  he  speaks  of  Issachar  as 
being  gathered  into  tents,  called  to  the 
mountain,  offering  the  sacrifices  of  right- 
eousness, and  sucking  the  abundance  of  the 
sea  and  all  the  hid  treasures  of  its  sands 
(Deut.  33:  18,  19).  In  Jacob's  blessing  of 
his  sons  we  have  corresponding  allusions  and 
still  further  identifications  with  the  particulars 
in  this  sign.  In  many  of  the  classic  refer- 
ences to  the  Zodiac  the  figures  here  are  two 


PR^ESEPE.  319 

asses,  particularly  represented  by  the  two 
stars,  the  one  north  and  the  other  south  of 
Praesepe.  And  so  Jacob  prophesies  of  the 
coming  Shiloh,  that  to  Him  shall  the  gather- 
ing of  the  people  be,  and  that,  having  washed 
His  garments  in  the  blood  of  grapes,  as  when 
He  treads  the  winepress  of  the  fierceness  of 
the  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  and  having  ac- 
complished the  destruction  of  His  enemies, 
as  when  He  rides  forth  on  the  white  horse  to 
destroy  all  hostile  powers,  "  He  shall  bind  His 
foal  to  the  vine,  and  His  ass's  colt  to  the 
choice  vine."  Issachar  himself  is  likened  to 
the  great  and  strong  ass  which  reclines  be- 
tween the  two  folds  or  resting-places,  seeing 
that  "the  rest  is  good  and  the  land  pleasant," 
even  that  for  which  he  was  willing  to  bow  his 
shoulder  to  the  burden,  and  to  serve  and  pay 
tribute  to  possess  (Gen.  49:  10-15). 

The  Scriptures  thus  not  only  give  us  the 
imagery  found  in  this  sign,  but  connect  the 
sien  itself — which  was  assigned  to  Issachar — 
with  the  final  results  of  the  achievements  of 
the  promised  Seed  of  the  woman — with  the 
rest  that  remains  for  the  people  of  God — 
with  the  ultimate  home-gathering  of  the  mul- 
titudinous seed  of  faith — with  the  peaceful 
and  secure  entrance  of  the  Church  upon  the 


320  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE  STARS. 

"  inheritance,  incorruptible  and  undefiled,  and 
that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for 
those  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation  ready  to  be  re- 
vealed in  the  last  time"  (i  Pet.  i  :  4.-6). 

The   Myths. 

The  myths  concerning  this  sign  are  faint 
and  feeble,  but  what  is  given  amply  conforms 
to  what  the  Scriptures  record  in  connection 
with  it.  The  two  asses  which  the  Greeks  ac- 
cepted as  the  figures  of  Cancer  they  ex- 
plained to  be  the  animals  by  which  Jupiter 
was  assisted  in  his  victory  over  the  giants, 
but  in  repose  now  by  the  side  of  the  celestial 
crib.  They  would  thus  admirably  identify 
with  the  white  horses  on  which  Christ  and 
His  heavenly  armies  rode  when  they  came 
forth  for  the  destruction  of  the  beasts,  kings, 
and  armies  that  made  war  with  the  Lamb. 
They  would  seem,  indeed,  to  stand  for  the 
same,  but  now  resting  in  immortal  glory  after 
the  victory. 

Other  myths  associate  this  Crab  with  the 
famous  contest  of  Hercules  with  the  dreadful 
Lernaean  monster,  and  affirm  that  this  was 
the  animal  from  the  sea  which  Juno's  envy 
of  the  hero  caused  to  bite  his  foot,  but  which, 


THE   NAMES.  321 

being  quickly  despatched,  was  rewarded  by 
being  placed  among  the  heavenly  constella- 
tions. Hercules  was  the  symbol  of  the  Seed 
of  the  woman  as  the  suffering  and  toiling 
Deliverer,  the  great  Overcomer  and  Slayer 
of  the  powers  of  evil,  who,  for  the  sake  of 
His  people,  endured  the  sting  and  bruising 
of  His  heel ;  and  yet,  for  all  the  pains  they 
caused  Him,  He  brings  them  at  last  to  the 
enjoyment  of  eternal  rest  and  glory,  having 
slain  their  enmity  by  His  cross. 

The  Names. 
The  Egyptians  called  this  sign  Klaria,  the 
Folds,  the  Resting-places.  We  call  it  Cancer, 
which  in  later  vocabularies  means  the  Crab, 
but  which,  in  its  Noetic  roots,  explains  what 
we  are  to  see  in  this  Crab.  Khan  means  the 
traveller's  resting-place,  and  ker  or  cer  means 
embraced,  encircled,  held  as  within  encircling 
arms.  And  so  Can-cer  means  Rest  secured — 
the  object  of  desire  at  length  reached,  com- 
passed, possessed,  and  inalienably  held.  Hence 
also  the  chief  star  in  this  sign  is  named  Acu- 
bens,  the  sheltering,  the  place  of  retirement, 
the  good  rest.  Hence  also  other  names  in 
this  sign  {Mdalafih  and  Al  Himarein)  mean 
assembled  thousands,  the  kids  or  lambs  ;  whilst 


322  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

the  whole  is  called  in  Hebrew,  Arabic,  and 
Syriac  by  a  name  which  signifies  holding, 
possessing,  retaining.  It  is  the  sign  of  the 
saints'  everlasting  rest,  in  which  the  head  of 
the  Serpent  is  beneath  their  feet,  as  under 
the  feet  of  this  Crab. 

And  what  we  thus  find  in  the  sign  itself  is 
further  illustrated  and  fully  corroborated  in 
its  accompanying  Decans. 

Ursa  Minor. 
The  first  of  these  is  what  is  now  called 
Ursa  Minor,  the  Lesser  Bear.  But  this  was 
not  its  original  name  ;  nor  is  it  a  bear  at  all. 
Those  who  figure  it  as  a  bear  are  obliged  to 
give  it  a  long  uplifted  tail,  such  as  no  bear 
ever  had.  And  what  is  very  astonishing,  on 
the  supposition  that  we  here  have  to  do  with 
the  form  of  a  bear,  is,  that  the  most  remark- 
able star  in  this  constellation,  and  the  most 
observed  and  rested  on  by  man  in  all  the 
heavens,  is  located  far  out  on  this  unnatural 
tail.  Where  is  the  sense  that  would  lead  any 
astronomer,  ancient  or  modern,  to  locate  the 
Pole  Star  of  the  heavens  in  an  imaginary  tail 
of  a  feeble  little  bear  ?  The  very  idea  is  ab- 
surd, and  such  an  absurdity  that  we  may  be 
sure  the  great  old  primeval  astronomers  are 


URSA   MINOR.  323 

in  no  wise  chargeable  with  it.  It  is  said  that 
the  North  American  Indians  connected  the 
North  Star  with  a  bear,  and  that  hence  the 
figure  here  must  have  been  primitively  known 
as  "  the  Bear ;"  but  it  is  not  proven  that  these 
Indians  belong  to  the  primitive  peoples,  whilst 
they  at  the  same  time  criticise  and  ridicule 
those  who  name  it  a  bear,  as  not  knowing 
what  a  bear  is,  or  they  never  would  have 
given  it  a  long  and  lifted  tail. 

The  way  in  which  Ursa  Minor  and  Ursa 
Major  may  have  come  to  be  called  Bears  is 
perhaps  from  the  fact  that  the  ancient  name 
of  the  principal  star  in  the  latter  is  Dubheh 
or  Ditbah,  and  as  Dob  is  the  word  for  bear, 
the  Greeks  and  others  took  the  name  of  that 
star  as  meaning  the  Bear,  and  so  called  these 
two  corresponding  constellations  the  Bears. 

But  Dubheh  or  Dubah  does  not  mean  bear, 
but  a  collection  of  domestic  animals,  a  fold, 
as  the  Hebrew  word  Dober.  The  evidence  is 
that,  according  to  the  original  intent,  we  are 
to  see  in  these  constellations  not  two  long- 
tailed  bears,  but  two  sheep/olds  or  flocks,  the 
collected  and  folded  sheep  of  God's  pasture. 

The  ancient  Danes  and  Icelanders  called 
Ursa  Minor  the  Chair  or  Chariot  of  Thor. 
and  the   old    Britons  ascribed    the    same    to 


324  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Arthur,  their  great  divine  hero.  This  is 
coming  much  nearer  to  the  astronomical  facts 
of  the  case,  as  also  to  the  original  ideas  con- 
nected  with  this  constellation.  It  has  seven 
principal  stars,  often  called  Septentriones — the 
seven  which  turn.  The  Arabs  and  the  rab- 
bins called  them  Ogilah,  going  rounds  as 
wheels ;  and  hence  also  they  are  called  Charles  s 
Wain,  the  Kings  Wagon,  or  the  thing  which 
goes  round.  These  noted  seven  stars  are  in 
themselves  sufficient  to  suggest  some  con- 
nection with  "the  seven  churches"  which 
John  saw  as  "seven  stars"  in  Christ's  right 
hand.  The  whole  number  of  stars  in  this 
constellation  is  twenty-four,  which  suggests 
connection  again  between  it  and  the  "  four- 
and-twenty  elders  "  whom  John  beheld  "  round 
about  the  throne,  clothed  in  white  raiment, 
and  having  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold" 
(Rev.  4),  which  denote  the  seniors  of  the 
elect  Church  in  heaven.  The  ancient  names 
in  this  constellation  are  Kochab,  the  Star,  al- 
lied perhaps  with  the  promise  in  Rev.  2  :  28, 
otherwise  rendered  by  Rolleston  waiting  the 
coming  ;  Al  Pherkadain,  the  Calves,  the  Young, 
Hebraically,  the  Redeemed ;  Al  Gedi,  the  Kid, 
the  Chosen  of  the  flock ;  and  Al  Kaid,  the  As- 
sembled, the  gathered   together.      These  are 


THE  POLE-STAR.  $2$ 

all  applicable  to  the  Church  of  the  first-born, 
and  particularly  describe  it  as  it  finally  comes 
to  its  inheritance. 

Aratus  says  that  Jupiter  transferred  both 
these  bears  to  the  sky  from  Crete  during  his 
concealment  in  the  Idsean  cave ;  but  bears 
were  never  known  in  Crete,  though  it  was 
plentiful  enough  in  flocks  and  herds.  But 
the  story  agrees  with  the  scriptural  account 
in  this,  that  Christ  mysteriously  transfers  the 
Church  of  the  first-born  to  heaven  whilst  yet 
unmanifested  to  the  rest  of  the  world. 

The  Greeks  called  Ursa  Minor,  if  not  both 
the  Bears,  Areas,  or  Arktos,  a  name  which 
Harcourt  derives  from  Arx,  the  stronghold  of 
the  saved.  The  myth  concerning  Areas  is,  that 
he  was  the  son  of  Jupiter  and  the  nymph  Cal- 
listo,  that  he  built  a  city  on  the  site  of  the 
blasted  house  of  him  who  was  served  up  as 
a  dish  to  try  Jupiter's  divinity,  and  that  he 
was  the  progenitor,  teacher,  and  ruler  of  the 
Arcadians  ;  which  readily  interprets  in  good 
measure  of  what  is  written  of  the  Church  of 
the  first-born,  particularly  in  its  offices  in  the 
mysterious  future. 

The  Pole-Star. 
It  is  part  of  the  promise  of  the   text  that 

28 


326  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

the  seed  of  faith  is  to  "  possess  the  gate  of 
his  enemies" — that  is,  to  take  the  house  or 
possession  of  the  foe  —  and  thenceforward 
to  hold  what  the  enemy  previously  held. 
Now,  at  the  time  these  constellations  were 
formed,  and  for  a  long  time  afterward,  the 
Pole-Star  was  the  Dragon  Star,  Alpha  Dra- 
conis.  Thus  this  central  gate,  or  hinge,  or 
governing-point  of  the  earth's  motion,  was 
then  in  the  enemy's  possession.  But  that 
Dragon  Star  is  now  far  away  from  the  Pole, 
and  cannot  again  get  back  to  it  for  ages  on 
ages,  whilst  the  Lesser  and  higher  Sheepfold 
has  come  into  its  place ;  so  that  the  main  star 
of  Areas  is  now  the  Pole-Star.  The  seed  of 
faith  thus  gets  the  enemy's  gate.  And  un- 
derstanding Ursa  Minor  of  the  Church  of 
the  first-born  in  heaven,  instated  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  earth,  we  have  in  it  a  striking 
picture  of  the  old  prophecy  fulfilled,  when 
once  Satan  is  cast  down  and  the  saints  reiom 
with  their  Lord  in  glory  everlasting. 

It  is  also  an  interesting  fact  that  no  traces 
of  these  Greek  Bears  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Egyptian,  the  Persian,  or  the  Indian  plani- 
spheres, but  only  what  is  thoroughly  agree- 
able to  the  idea  that  we  are  here  to  see  the 
assembly   of  God's  flocks   in   their  heavenly 


URSA  MAJOR.  327 

glory,  authority,  and  dominion,  as  over  against 
the  Serpent  and  the  whole  serpent  dominion. 

Ursa  Major. 

And  this  is  made  the  more  evident  in  the 
second  Decan  of  Cancer — Ursa  Major,  the 
Great  Bear,  anciently,  the  Great  Sheepfold, 
the  resting-place  of  the  flock.  The  Arabs 
still  call  this  constellation  Al  Naish  or  An- 
naish,  the  ordered  or  assembled  together,  as 
sheep  in  a  fold. 

Jn  the  centre  of  the  miscalled  tail  of  this 
so-called  Bear  we  find  the  name  Mizar,  which 
means  guarded  or  enclosed  place.  The  chief 
star  of  all  is  Dubheh,  herd  or  fold ;  the  sec- 
ond is  Merach,  the  flock  ;  another,  Cab'd  al 
Asad,  multitude  of  the  assembled.  Here  we 
also  have  the  names  El  Acola,  the  sheepfold  ; 
Al  Kaiad,  the  assembled ;  Alioth,  the  ewe  or 
mother ;  El  Kaphrah,  the  protected,  the  cov- 
ered, the  Redeemed ;  Dub  he  h  Lachar,  the  latter 
herd  or  flock,  as  distinguished  from  a  former 
in  Ursa  Minor.  The  book  of  Job  refers  to 
"  Arcturus  and  his  sons" — to  Ash,  or  Aish, 
and  "her"  progeny.  The  old  Jewish  com- 
mentators say  that  Aish  here  means  the 
seven  stars  of  the  Great  Bear.  The  word  is 
often  collective,  denoting  a  community,  hence 


328  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

the  flock,  the  congregation.  /\nd  in  the  so-call- 
ed tail  of  this  Bear  we  find  the  name  Benet 
Naish,  the  daughters  of  Aish,  part  of  the  flock 
going  out  after  Bootes,  the  Shepherd. 

The  myths  say  that  this  Bear  is  the  nymph 
Callisto,  the  mother  of  Areas,  the  son  of  Jupi- 
ter, and  that  she  was  metamorphosed  into  a 
bear  by  Juno.  In  the  word  Callisto  we  find 
the  Shemitic  root  which  we  aeain  meet  as 
Caul&,  a  sheep/old,  an  enclosure.  And  with 
this  idea  in  mind  a  glance  at  these  "  seven 
stars"  shows  how  well  the  presentations  an- 
swer to  an  enclosure,  from  which  the  great 
flock  goes  forth  from  the  fold  at  the  corner 
led  by  their  great  Shepherd  and  Guardian, 
to  whose  coming  all  the  ages  have  been  look- 
ing from  the  beginning. 

In  the  Dendera  Zodiac  this  constellation 
has  a  great  female  figure  with  the  head  of  a 
swine,  the  enemy  of  the  Serpent,  the  tearer 
of  the  earth,  and  holding  in  her  hand  a  ereat 
ploughshare,  emblematic  of  tearing  up,  bruis- 
ing, turning  under;  and  the  name  by  which  it 
is  called  is  Fent-Har,  the  Sej'pent- bruiser,  the 
Serpent-horri/ler.  This  ploughshare  appears 
in  both  these  constellations,  and  may  have 
given  rise  to  the  association  of  the  plough 
with  these  stars ;   but  the  whole  significance 


ARGO.  329 

is  that  of  the  seed  of  faith  in  power  and  tri- 
umph over  the  Serpent  and  its  progeny. 

All  this  sufficiently  shows  that  we  here  have 
to  do  with  the  happy  sheepfold,  the  flock  of 
God,  in  heavenly  glory  and  dominion,  and  not 
in  the  least  with  the  anomalous  wild  bears  of 
the  Greeks  and  the  later  Western  peoples. 
The  picture  is  that  of  the  seed  of  faith  spoken 
of  in  the  text  in  its  twofoldness — the  Church 
of  the  first-born  round  about  the  throne,  sig- 
nified by  the  Polar  centre,  and  the  Church  of 
the  after-born  in  still  ampler  numbers,  led 
and  guarded  by  the  great  Bootes  amid  the 
everlasting  pastures. 

Argo. 
And  to  make  this  the  clearer,  the  third 
Decan  of  Cancer  was  framed.  This  is  Argo> 
the  mysterious  ship  of  the  mysterious  Argo- 
nauts returned  from  their  successful  expedi- 
tion to  recover  the  Golden  Fleece.  Since 
the  time  of  Homer,  and  long  before  Homer 
lived,  the  world  has  been  full  of  noise  about 
this  ship  and  these  gods  and  demigods  of 
the  Argonautic  Expedition.  But  that  same 
world  till  now  has  been  flounderine  about  to 
find  a  key  to  unlock  the  mystery  in  which  the 
story  is  enveloped.     Many  are   the   sugges- 

28* 


330  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

tions  to  explain  it,  but  all  as  empty  of  sat- 
isfactoriness  as  they  are  beneath  the  import- 
ance and  significance  always  and  everywhere 
attached  to  it.  The  trouble  is,  that  men  have 
ever  persisted  in  trying  to  interpret  it  with 
reference  to  the  affairs  of  ordinary  human 
history  or  of  some  wild  conceits  of  dream- 
ing poets  ;  whereas  it  belongs  to  the  mystic, 
spiritual,  and  prophetic  ideas  frescoed  on  the 
stars,  and  to  nothing  else  under  heaven. 
Taken  in  these  relations,  and  construed  with 
the  rest  of  these  signs  as  we  found  their  true 
application  to  be,  we  can  have  no  difficulty. 
That  Golden  Fleece  was  the  lost  treasure  of 
human  innocence  and  righteousness,  of  which 
the  subtlety  of  the  Serpent  had  bereft  man- 
kind in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  so  held  and 
g-uarded  it  that  no  mere  men  could  ever  find 
or  recover  it.  In  the  grove  of  Mars,  the 
fierce  god  of  justice,  at  Colchis,  the  citadel 
of  atonement,  it  lay,  the  Serpent  watching  it 
with  jealous  and  ever- wakeful  eyes.  Nor 
was  there  a  mortal  to  be  found  able  to  ap- 
proach it  until  the  true  Jason,  the  Recoverer, 
the  Atoner,  the  Healer,  even  Jesus,  came,  or- 
ganized His  Argo,  His  company  of  travellei's, 
made  up  of  heroes  under  His  command  and 
leadership,   and  went   forth   through   various 


THE   NAMES.  33 T 

trials,  conflicts,  and  sufferings,  helped  by  the 
holy  oracles  that  went  along,  and  sustain- 
ed by  the  heavenly  ointments  and  powers  to 
heal  the  wounds  and  hurts  that  had  to  be 
encountered,  and  took  the  precious  prize,  and 
then  through  varied  fortunes  brings  the  he- 
roes back  victorious  to  his  own  home-shores. 
And  here,  in  the  constellation  of  Argo,  we 
have  the  picture  of  that  return — the. ship  and 
the  brave  travellers  come  home,  with  the  lost 
treasure  regained,  their  toils  and  hazards  and 
battles  over,  and  blessed  rest  their  lasting  in- 
heritance. Here  the  story  fits  in  every  part. 
It  is  the  old  ship  of  Zion  landed  in  the  heav- 
enly port.  Understand  it  so,  and  every  fea- 
ture takes  on  an  evangelic  light  and  a  meaning 
commensurate  with  its  fame.  Nor  is  it  pos- 
sible to  contemplate  the  vivid  correspondence 
without  wonderment  at  the  prophetic  know- 
ledge and  spiritual  understanding  and  antici- 
pations of  those  primeval  sages  who  framed 
these  signs  md  gave  out  their  meaning. 

The  Names. 

And  what  we  thus  read  in  the  story  of  the 

Argonauts  is  confirmed  by  the  names  in  the 

constellation  itself.     The  brightest  star  in  the 

group  is  Canopies  or  Canobns.    And  this  is  the 


332  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

name  of  the  great  hero  and  helmsman,  who 
died  from  the  serpent's  bite,  but  whom  the 
Egyptians  worshipped  as  a  divine  being. 
The  name  itself  means  the  possession  of  Him 
who  ccmeth,  and  thus  explains  why  the  Egyp- 
tians represented  Canobus  by  a  great  trea- 
sure-jar. Other  names  are  also  here  which 
tell  us  what  we  are  to  understand.  Sephina 
means  multitudinous  good,  the  very  abundance 
of  the  seas  and  of  treasures  referred  to  by 
Moses  under  the  sien  of  Issachar.  Tureis 
means  the  firm  possession  in  hand,  the  treasure 
secured.  Asmidiska  means  the  travellers  re- 
leased.    And  Soheil  means  what  was  desired. 

In  the  Dendera  Zodiac  we  have  here  the 
figure  of  a  great  ox  enclosed,  with  the  cross 
suspended  from  his  neck,  the  symbol  of  the 
great  possession  marked  with  the  ancient 
token  of  immortality  and  eternal  life.  And 
the  name  of  this  figure  is  Shes-en-Fent,  re- 
joicing over  the  Serpent.  All  this  expresses 
exactly  what  I  have  said  is  the  great  subject 
of  Cancer. 

In  the  Persian  Zodiac  we  have  here  three 
young  women  walking  at  leisure,  the  same 
with  the  daughters  of  Aish,  signifying  the 
Church  in  its  final  inheritance. 

Thus  the  whole  presentation  binds  up  and 


A    SWEET  CONSOLATION.  333 

links  together  from  all  sides  to  fix  upon  the 
sien  of  Cancer  and  its  Decans  the  intention 
to  make  it  the  recorded  symbol,  prophecy, 
and  hope  of  the  heavenly  rest  for  the  re- 
deemed which  shines  so  conspicuously  in  all 
the  scriptural  promises.  It  is  the  star-pic- 
ture of  the  multitudinous  seed  of  faith  at 
length  possessing  the  gate  of  the  enemy, 
rejoicing  over  him  in  life  eternal,  and  going 
forth  in  abundant  peace  and  blessedness,  with 
the  Serpent's  head  effectually  trodden  beneath 
their  feet. 

A  Sweet  Consolation. 
It  is  a  blessed  consolation  to  the  oft-weary 
toilers  and  travellers  in  this  world  to  know 
that  there  does  remain  a  rest  for  the  people 
of  God.  With  all  the  trials  and  hardships  to 
which  they  are  subjected  here,  there  is  to 
come  a  blessed  recompense.  Jesus  says : 
"Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled;  in  my 
Father's  house  are  many  mansions.  I  go  to 
prepare  a  place  for  you  ;  and  if  I  go,  and  pre- 
pare a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and 
receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  I  am  ye 
may  be  also"  (John  1 4  :  1-3).  Isaiah  sings: 
"The  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return,  and 
come  to  Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy 


334  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

upon  their  heads  :  they  shall  obtain  joy  and 
gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee 
away"  (25  :  10).  John  in  prophetic  vision 
looked  over  into  that  other  world,  and  writes: 
"  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude  which  no 
man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kin- 
dreds, and  peoples,  and  tongues  stood  before 
the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with 
white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands.  These 
are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation, 
and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore 
are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve 
Him  day  and  night  in  His  temple  :  and  He 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  shall  dwell  among 
them.  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
thirst  any  more ;  neither  shall  the  sun  light 
on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb  which 
is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them, 
and  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters  : 
and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes"  (Rev.  7:9-17);  "And  there  shall  be 
no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain :  for  the 
former  things  are  passed  away"  (21  :  4).  And 
even  from  His  throne  in  glory  the  Saviour 
sends  word  to  His  struggling  people:  "To 
him  that  overcometh  will  I   grant  to  sit  with 


a   SWEET  CONSOLATION.  335 

Me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I   also  overcame, 
and   am   set    down   with    my   Father   in    His 
throne"    (Rev.  3:21).      Such   are   the  great 
and  precious  promises  given  to  us,  and  such 
the  possession  to  which  we  aspire,     They  are 
promises   also   that   shall   surely  be   fulfilled. 
God   has    pledged    himself    by    His    oath    to 
make  them  good.     They  are   the   same  that 
glowed  in  the  hearts  of  the  primeval  patri- 
archs, who  saw  them  afar  off,  and  were  per- 
suaded   of    them,  and    embraced    them,   and 
confessed  that  they  were  pilgrims  and  strang- 
ers on  the  earth.     On  these  imperishable  stars 
they  hung  and  pictured  their  confident  belief 
and  anticipations,  whereby  they,  being  dead, 
yet  speak — speak  across    these  many  thou- 
sands of  years — speak    for  our   comfort  on 
whom  the  ends  of  the  world  have  come.     Let 
us,  then,  be  encouraged  to  believe  as  they  be- 
lieved, to  hope  as  they  hoped,  laboring  and 
looking  for  entrance  into  that  same  holy  rest, 
even  the  everlasting  kingdom  of   our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 


Hectute  jfflurtemtl). 

THE    CONSUMMATED    VICTORY. 

Rev.  5:5:  "  Weep  not :  behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judafc, 
the  Root  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the 
seven  seals  thereof." 

THE  scene  of  these  words  was  in  the 
heavenly  spaces,  whither  the  Apostle 
John  had  been  caught  up  to  witness  what  is 
to  come  to  pass  after  the  present  Church- 
period  comes  to  its  close.  They  bring  to 
view  a  great  and  oppressive  sorrow  and  a 
great  and  glorious  consolation. 

In  the  hand  of  enthroned  Almightiness  lay 
a  roll  or  document  written  within  and  without 
and  sealed  with  seven  seals.  That  roll  de- 
noted the  title-deed  of  the  inheritance  which 
man  had  forfeited  by  disobedience,  and  which 
had  reverted  into  the  hand  of  God,  to  whom 
the  race  had  become  hopelessly  indebted. 
Those  "seven  seals"  attested  the  absolute- 
ness of  the  bonds  of  forfeit,  and  bespoke 
how  completely  the  inheritance  was  disponed 
away  and  gone.     Nor  could  it  ever  be  recov- 

:«6 


THE    CONSUMMATED    VICTORY.  337 

ered  to  man,  except  as  some  one  should  be 
found  with  worth,  merit,  and  ability  to  satisfy 
the  claim,  lift  the  document,  and  destroy  its 
seals.  But  neither  in  heaven  or  earth  nor 
under  the  earth  did  any  one  appear  worthy 
to  take  up  the  writing,  or  even  so  much  as  to 
look  upon  it.  This  was  the  grief  which  made 
the  Apostle  weep.  It  seemed  to  say  to  him 
that  man's  patrimony  was  clean  gone  for 
ever.  It  drew  a  dark  and  impenetrable  veil 
over  all  the  promises  and  over  all  man's  pros- 
pects, as  if  everything  hoped  for  was  now 
about  to  fail.  Could  it  be  that  all  the  fond 
anticipations  touching  "  the  redemption  of 
the  purchased  possession"  were  now  to  mis- 
carry, and  the  whole  matter,  of  which  the 
saints  had  been  prophesying  so  long,  go  by 
default  ?  So  the  matter  looked,  which  was  a 
grief  indeed  that  well  might  overwhelm  the 
soul  of  an  Apostle,  even  in  heaven. 

But,  though  John  "  wept  much,"  he  was  not 
left  to  weep  long.  A  voice  from  among 
the  throned  elders  soon  broke  in  to  relieve 
his  anxiety  and  dry  his  tears.  That  voice 
said  :  "  Weep  not :  behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  the  Root  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to 
open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  there- 
of"     This   was   the  consolation  which  com- 

29  W 


338  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE  STARS. 

forted  the  holy  Seer,  and  which  he  was  di- 
rected to  write  for  the  cheer  and  comfort  of 
the  sorrowing  Church  in  all  these  ages  since. 
And  what  was  thus  said  to  John,  both  in  sub- 
stance and  in  figure,  we  likewise  find  written 
/  upon  the  stars  in  the  twelfth  and  last  sign  of 
the  Zodiac  and  its  Decans. 

The  Lion. 
The  text  speaks  of  a  mystic  Lion.  The 
lion  is  a  kingly,  majestic,  noble,  but  terrible 
creature,  so  strong  and  courageous  as  to  fear 
nothing,  and  so  fierce  and  powerful  that  no 
other  animal  can  stand  before  him.  The 
names  of  the  lion  in  Hebrew,  Arabic,  Syriac, 
and  Coptic,  though  different,  all  signify  about 
the  same,  and  mean  He  that  rends,  that  tears 
asunder,  that  destroys,  that  lays  waste.  The 
name  in  Greek  and  Latin  is  formed  from 
words  which  express  sharp  and  naming  sight, 
leaping  forth  as  flames,  coming  with  raging 
vehemence.  From  this  we  see  how  the  ear- 
lier peoples  were  impressed  by  what  they 
saw  and  knew  of  this  terrible  beast.  The 
common  sentiment  of  mankind  has  associ- 
ated it  with  royalty  and  dominion,  and  award- 
ed it  the  title  of  "  king  of  beasts."  It  scarcely 
has  an   equal  in   physical  strength,  which  is 


THE   LION.  339 

further  combined  with  extraordinary  quick- 
ness and  agility.  Ordained  to  feed  on  flesh, 
it  is  fitted  for  the  work  of  capture  and  de- 
struction, and  is  supplied  with  the  most  pow- 
erful physical  machinery  conceivable  for  the 
purpose.  It  can  easily  kill  and  drag  away  a 
buffalo,  and  it  can  crush  the  skull  of  a  horse 
or  break  the  backbone  of  an  ox  with  one 
stroke  of  its  paw.  Its  claws  can  cut  four 
inches  in  depth  at  a  single  grasp.  It  has 
great  ivory  teeth  capable  of  crunching  a  bul- 
lock's bones.  The  fall  of  its  fore  paw  in 
striking  is  estimated  to  be  equal  to  twenty- 
five  pounds  in  weight,  whilst  it  is  able  to 
handle  itself  with  all  the  nimbleness  of  a  cat, 
to  whose  family  the  lion  belongs.  The  pos- 
session of  such  powers,  with  its  instincts  for 
blood,  renders  this  animal  wonderfully  daring, 
bold,  and  self-confident,  and  the  great  terror 
of  men  and  beasts  in  the  vicinity  of  its  haunts. 
When  the  lion  is  assailed  and  thoroughly 
aroused,  and  lifts  himself  up  in  proud  con- 
templation of  his  foes,  though  banded  in 
troops  around  him,  his  composed,  majestic, 
and  defiant  mien  is  described  as  noble  and 
magnificent  beyond  conception  ;  whilst  the 
terribleness  of  his  growl  and  the  thunder  of 
his  roar  contribute  to   make  the  picture  al- 


340  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

most  superhumanly  impressive.  And  this  is 
the  image  which  we  are  called  to  contemplate 
in  the  text  as  describing  the  character  and 
majesty  of  Christ  in  connection  with  the  fina) 
scenes  of  the  taking  of  the  roll  from  the  hand 
of  eternal  Godhead,  the  breaking  of  its  seals, 
and  the  clearing  of  the  earth  from  all  enemies 
and  usurpers. 

Christ  as  the  Lion. 
When  the  dying  Jacob  blessed  his  sons,  he 
pronounced  Judah  a  lion,  whom  his  brethren 
should  praise,  whose  hand  should  be  in  the 
neck  of  his  enemies,  and  before  whom  his 
father's  children  would  bow  down  (Gen.  49  : 
8,  9).  His  words  on  that  occasion  were  all 
intensely  prophetic.  What  he  said  of  Judah 
applied  to  the  warlike  and  victorious  energy 
which  was  afterward  shown  in  that  tribe. 
The  same  received  remarkable  fulfilment  in 
David,  in  whom  the  lion-nature  was  strikingly 
exhibited,  and  whose  boast  in  the  Lord  was, 
"  By  Thee  I  can  dash  in  pieces  the  warlike 
people.  I  pursue  after  mine  enemies,  and  4 
overtake  them,  and  turn  again  until  I  have 
consumed  them"  (Ps.  18).  But  these  lion- 
qualities  assigned  to  Judah  looked  onward 
to  a  still  nobler  King,  who  "  sprang  out  of  Ju- 


CHRIST  AS   THE   LION:  34 1 

dah"  as  David's  lineal  descendant  and  heir, 
who  is  at  once  David's  Lord  and  David's  son, 
and  pre-eminently  the  Lioji  of  whom  Jacob 
spoke. 

Under  the  New  Testament,  and  during  the 
course  of  the  existing  Church-period,  our 
Saviour  is  more  commonly  contemplated  as 
the  innocent,  uncomplaining,  and  spotless 
Lamb  of  sacrifice,  meekly  yielding  up  His 
life  that  we  might  live.  Even  among  the 
stupendous  works  of  battle  and  judgment 
set  forth  in  the  Apocalypse,  He  still  appears 
again  and  again  as  "  the  Lamb" — "  a  Lamb  as 
it  had  been  slain,"  "  the  Lamb  slain  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world" — by  whose  blood 
the  saints  are  washed  from  their  sins,  their 
garments  made  white,  and  their  final  victory 
over  all  Satan's  accusations  achieved.  And 
to  His  people,  even  as  the  eternal  Bride- 
groom, He  will  never  cease  to  be  the  Lamb 
of  God,  by  whose  sacrificial  death  and  medi- 
ation they  have  their  standing  and  their  bless- 
edness. Neither  does  He  cease  to  be  the 
Lamb  even  in  connection  with  His  being  the 
terrible  Lion.  The  Lamb  is  capable  of  wrath, 
and  in  the  day  of  His  wrath  He  is  the  Lion. 
He  is  the  one  to  His  friends,  and  He  is  the 
other  to   His  enemies.      Nay,   He  does   not 

29* 


342  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

come  to  the  exercise  of  His  powers  and  pre- 
rogatives as  the  Lion,  except  as  he  first  clears 
away  all  impediments  and  overcomes  all  em- 
barrassments by  means  of  sacrificial  atone- 
ment and  satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  those 
for  whom  He  at  length  takes  the  character 
of  the  Lion,  to  tear  His  and  their  enemies  in 
pieces.  This  is  what  the  elder  means  when 
he  says  that  this  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah 
"  hath  prevailed''  so  as  to  be  in  position  of 
worthiness  and  ability,  as  the  almighty  Re- 
deemer, to  go  forward  as  a  Lion  to  take  the 
inheritance  by  destroying  all  who  have  ob- 
truded themselves  upon  it  and  presume  to 
hold  it  in  defiance  of  His  royal  rights. 

The  Lion-Work. 
Nor  are  the  Scriptures  sparing  in  their  ref- 
erences to  this  lion-character  and  lion-work 
of  the  orlorious  Redeemer  when  thino-s  have 
once  come  to  ripeness  for  the  sharp  sickle  of 
judgment.  Not  only  Jacob  and  Moses,  but 
all  the  prophets,  have  alluded  to  it.  Thus 
the  word  of  the  Lord  by  Hosea  (13:7,8) 
was :  "  I  will  be  unto  them  as  a  lion.  I  will 
rend  the  caul  of  their  heart.  I  will  devour 
them  like  a  lion."  Thus  Zephaniah  (3  :  8) 
prophesied :    "  Wait  ye    upon    me,   saith    the 


THE  LION- WORK.  343 

Lord,  until  the  day  that  I  rise  tip  to  the  prey  : 
for  my  determination  is  to  gather  the  nations, 
that  I  may  assemble  the  kingdoms,  to  pour 
upon  them  my  indignation,  even  all  my  fierce 
ano-er :  for  all  the  earth  shall  be  devoured 
with  the  fire  of  my  jealousy."  Thus  Isaiah 
(42  113),  referring  to  the  period  of  the  judg- 
ment, says  :  •  ■  The  Lord  shall  go  forth  as  a 
mighty  man,  He  shall  stir  up  His  jealousy 
like  a  man  of  war:  He  shall  cry,  yea,  roar; 
He  shall  prevail  against  His  enemies."  Thus 
Amos  declares :  "  The  Lord  will  roar  from 
Zion,  and  utter  His  voice  from  Jerusalem ; 
and  the  habitations  of  the  shepherds  shall 
mourn,  and  the  top  of  Carmel  shall  wither. 
Will  a  lion  roar  in  the  forest  when  he  hath 
no  prey?"  (1:2;  3:4,  8).  "Consider  this," 
saith  the  Lord  (Ps.  50:  22),  "  ye  that  forget 
God,  lest  I  tear  you  in  pieces,  and  there  be 
none  to  deliver." 

And  here,  in  the  sign  of  Leo,  is  this  very 
Lion,  thoroughly  aroused,  salient,  and  full 
of  majesty,  the  same  in  all  the  pictorial  Zo- 
diacs of  all  nations.  It  is  the  same  "  Lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah  "  to  which  the  text  refers, 
for  in  the  Jewish  astronomy  this  twelfth  sign 
was  the  sign  of  Judah.  He  is  the  Lion  of 
Judah  in  the  text,  and  He  is  the  Lion  of  Ju- 


344  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

dah  in  the  Zodiac.  The  record  of  the  signs 
and  the  record  of  the  Word  are  here  precisely 
identical.  The  coincidence  is  positive  and  ab- 
solute, and  rests  on  no  mere  inferences  from 
mere  likeness  or  concurring  circumstances. 
The  picture  in  the  sky  is  one  and  the  same 
with  the  picture  in  the  Revelation  as  shown 
to  John  in  his  visions  in  Patmos. 

In  the  Apocalypse  the  Lion-Lamb  takes 
the  roll  from  the  hand  of  eternal  Majesty 
amid  thrills  of  exultation  which  shake  the 
whole  intelligent  universe  from  centre  to  cir- 
cumference. He  tears  asunder  seal  after  seal, 
until  the  very  last  is  reached  and  broken,  and 
with  each  there  bursts  forth  a  divine  almighti- 
ness,  seizing-  and  convulsing  the  whole  world 
as  it  never  before  was  affected.  The  white 
horse  of  conquering  power,  and  the  red 
horse  of  war  and  bloodshed,  and  the  black 
horse  of  scarcity  and  famine,  and  the  cadav- 
erous horse  of  Death  with  Hades  at  his  heels, 
dash  forth  in  invincible  energy  upon  the  apos- 
tate populations  of  the  earth.  The  heavens 
are  shaken,  and  seem  to  collapse  like  a  fall- 
ing tent,  the  earth  is  filled  with  quaking,  the 
mountains  and  islands  are  moved  out  of 
their  places,  and  the  mightiest  and  bravest, 
as  well  as  the  weakest,  of  men  are  filled  with 


THE  LION- WORK.  345 

horror  and  dismay.  The  great  tribulation, 
the  like  of  which  never  was  and  never  again 
shall  be,  sets  in.  The  golden  censers  of  the 
heavenly  temple,  filled  with  fire  from  the  ce- 
lestial altar,  are  emptied  into  the  earth  amid 
cries  and  thunders  and  terrific  perturbations. 
The  judgment-angels  sound  their  trumpets 
and  pour  out  the  contents  of  their  bowls  of 
wrath,  filling  the  world  with  burning  and  bit- 
terness and  tripled  woe,  unloosing  hell  itself 
to  overrun  and  deceive  and  torment  the  na- 
tions, developing  all  their  antichristianism 
into  one  great  and  all-commanding  embodi- 
ment of  consummated  iniquity,  and  gather- 
ing its  abettors  at  the  last  into  the  great 
winepress  of  the  wrath  of  God,  to  be  trodden 
by  the  divine  Avenger  till  the  blood  flows  in 
depth  to  the  horses'  bridles  for  more  than  a 
hundred  miles,  and  who  will  no  more  give 
over  until  the  beasts  from  the  abyss,  and  the 
Devil,  and  all  theirs,  are  cast  into  the  burning 
lake  of  the  second  death. 

Such  is  the  Lion-work  of  the  Root  and  Off- 
spring of  David  as  it  was  shown  to  the  Apos- 
tle John,  and  directed  to  be  written  for  our 
learning.  And  what  is  thus  pictured  in  the 
last  book  of  the  Scriptures  is  the  same  that 
was  fore-intimated  and  recorded  in  this  last 


34-6  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

sign  of  the  Zodiac  before  any  one  book  of 
our  present  Bible  was  written. 

The  Sign  of  Leo. 

Here  is  the  great  Lion  in  all  the  majesty 
of  His  fierce  wrath — Aryeh,  He  who  rends ; 
Al  Sad,  He  who  tears  and  lays  waste ;  Pi- 
mentekeon,  the  Pourer-out  of  rage,  the  Tearer 
asunder ;  Leon,  the  vehemently  coming,  the 
leaping  forth  as  a  consuming  fire.  The  chief 
star  embraced  in  this  figure,  situated  in  the 
Lion's  breast,  whence  its  mighty  paws  pro- 
ceed, bears  the  name  of  Regel  or  Re^tdus, 
which  means  the  feet  which  crush,  as  where 
it  is  said  of  the  Messiah  that  He  shall  tread 
upon  the  serpent  and  asp,  and  trample  the 
dragon  under  His  feet  (Ps.  91  :  13).  The 
second  star  in  Leo  is  called  Denebola,  the 
Judge,  the  Lord  who  cometh  with  haste.  The 
third  star  is  Al  Giebha,  the  exalted,  the  exalt- 
ation. Other  names  in  the  sio-n  are  Zosma, 
the  shining  forth,  the  epiphany ;  Minchir  al 
Asad,  the  punishing  or  tearing  of  him  who 
lays  waste ;  Deneb  al  Eced,  the  Judge  com- 
ing, who  seizes  or  violently  takes  ;  and  Al 
Defera,  the  putting  down  of  the  enemy. 

As  nearly  and  fully  as  names  can  express 
it,  we  thus  have  the  same  thines  in  the  Zo- 


HYDRA.  347 

diacal  Leo  that  we  find  ascribed  to  the  Lion 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah  in  the  Apocalypse. 
They  both  tell  one  and  the  same  story — the 
story  of  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb,  and  His 
great  and  final  judgment-administrations,  in 
which  the  kingdom  of  Daniel's  mystic  stone, 
cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  falls 
upon,  breaks  in  pieces,  grinds  to  powder,  and 
scatters  in  undistinguishable  dust  all  other 
kingdoms  and  powers,  and  sweeps  everything 
inimical  to  a  common  and  eternal  perdition. 

And  what  we  find  so  vividly  pictured  and 
expressed  in  the  sign  is  still  further  and  most 
unmistakably  corroborated  in  its  accompany- 
ing side-pieces  or  Decans. 

Hydra. 
The  great  mission  of  the  promised  Seed 
of  the  woman  was  effectually  to  bruise  the 
Serpent's  head.  This  is  the  all-comprehending 
burden  of  the  assurance  given  to  fallen  Adam, 
and  his  children  after  him.  The  Serpent  was 
the  subtle  and  snaky  creature  which  deceived 
and  seduced  our  first  parents  into  transgres- 
sion. Whether  in  the  form  of  a  literal  snake 
is  not  worth  our  while  to  inquire ;  but  it  was 
some  visible  serpentine  shape  by  which  Eve 
was  approached,  and  in  and  behind  which  was 


348  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

a  treacherous,  intelligent,  evil  spirit,  who  re- 
appears again  and  again  in  the  histories  and 
prophecies  of  the  Scriptures,  even  up  to  the 
end,  as  "  the  great  Dragon,  that  old  Serpent, 
called  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth 
the  whole  world"  (Rev.  12:  9).  He  was 
once  a  good  angel  and  a  chief  among  the 
angels,  but  "  kept  not  his  first  estate,"  left  his 
place  as  one  of  God's  loyal  subjects,  abused 
his  free  will  to  sin  and  rebellion,  and  fell 
under  bonds  of  condemnation,  in  which  he  is 
held  over  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. 
Meanwhile,  he  is  exerting  his  great  powers  to 
the  utmost  in  malignity  toward  God  and  all 
good.  By  his  successful  deception  of  our 
first  parents  he  got  a  footing  in  this  world, 
and  has  here  planted  and  organized  a  vast 
Satanic  kingdom,  over  which  he  reigns,  and 
which  he  inspires  and  directs,  impiously  set- 
ting himself  up  as  another  god  over  against 
the  true  and  only  God,  and  particularly  against 
Christ  as  the  rightful  Heir  and  King  of  the 
earth.  Hence  the  saying  of  the  Apostle 
Paul,  which  is  ever  true  of  all  God's  people  : 
"  We  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but 
against  principalities,  against  powers,  against 
the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world, 
against  wicked  spirits  in  the  air  "  (Eph.  6  :  12). 


HYDRA.  349 

During  these  six  thousand  years,  which  the 
Apostle  calls  " man's  day"  as  distinguished 
from  "  the  Lord's  day  "  or  the  day  of  enforced 
heavenly  rule,  this  subtle  and  snaky  spirit  has 
managed  to  worm  himself  into  everything  that 
goes  to  make  up  human  life,  corrupting  and 
perverting  it  to  his  own  base  ends,  seating 
himself  in  all  the  centres  of  influence  and 
power,  and  making  himself  the  very  king  and 
god  of  this  world.  From  all  these  places  he 
must  be  dislodged,  his  dominion  broken,  his 
works  destroyed,  and  he  and  all  his  effect- 
ually rooted  out  and  put  down,  before  the 
heavenly  kingdom  can  come  in  its  fulness  or 
the  great  redemption-work  reach  its  intended 
consummation.  In  other  words,  the  whole 
empire  and  influence  of  the  Serpent  must  be 
rent  to  atoms,  worked  clean  out  of  the  whole 
realm  of  humanity,  and  so  crushed  as  never 
to  be  able  to  lift  up  its  head  again.  Toward 
this  end  all  the  dispensations  and  gifts  of 
God,  from  the  first  promise  to  Adam  until 
now,  have  been  directed.  Toward  this  end 
all  the  works  and  administrations  of  Christ 
to  this  present  are  framed.  To  this  end  He 
is  to  come  again  in  power  and  great  glory  as 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  to  "  put  down 
all  rule  and  all  authority  and  power,"  and 
30  • 


35°  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

to  trample  "all  enemies  beneath  His  feet." 
And  here,  in  the  first  Decan  of  Leo,  is  the 
grand  picture  of  that  consummation.  Here 
is  Hydra,  that  old  Serpent,  whose  length 
stretches  one-third  the  way  around  the  whole 
sphere,  completely  expelled  from  the  places 
into  which  he  had  obtruded,  fleeing  now  for 
his  life,  and  the  great  Lion,  with  claws  and 
jaws  extended,  bounding  in  terrific  fury  and 
seizing  the  foul  monster's  neck. 

Myths  and  Names. 
According  to  the  myths,  this  Hydra  was 
the  terrible  monster  which  infested  the  Ler- 
naean  lake — image  of  this  corrupt  world.  It 
was  said  to  have  a  hundred  heads,  neither  of 
which  could  be  killed  simply  by  cutting  off, 
for  unless  the  wound  was  burned  with  fire 
two  immediately  grew  out  where  there  was 
only  one  before.     The  poets  describe  him  as 

"  Raising  a  hundred  hissing  heads  in  air ; 
When  one  was  lopped,  up  sprang  a  dreadful  pair." 

All  this  answers  wonderfully  well  to  the  his- 
tory of  evil  in  the  world,  and  the  impossibil- 
ity of  effectually  overcoming  it  in  any  one  of 
its  manifestations  except  by  the  fires  of  judg- 
ment. 


MYTHS  AND  NAMES.  35  1 

The  myths  further  say  that  it  was  one  of 
the  great  labors  imposed  on  Herakles  to  des- 
troy this  dreadful  monster,  in  which  he  also 
succeeded,  helped  by  his  faithful  companion 
and  charioteer,  Iolaus.  But  his  success  was 
only  by  means  of  fire  and  burning,  by  ap- 
plying a  red-hot  iron  to  the  wound  as  head 
after  head  was  severed  from  the  horrid  form. 
Herakles  was  the  deliverer  sent  to  free  the 
world  of  its  great  pests.  He  was  the  myth- 
ologic  symbol  of  the  Seed  of  the  woman  who 
was  to  come  to  make  an  end  of  all  ill  powers. 
Mythology  thus  answers  to  Revelation,  and 
well  bears  out  the  interpretation  of  Hydra  as 
a  picture  of  Satan  finally  vanquished,  rent, 
burned,  destroyed  by  the  fury  of  Judah's 
Lion. 

In  the  Dendera  sphere  the  Lion  stands  di- 
rectly on  the  Serpent,  whilst  underneath  is 
the  hieroglyphic  name  Knem,  which  means 
vanquished,  conquered.  The  plain  idea  is 
that  here  is  the  end  of  the  Serpent-dominion. 

The  name  Hydra  means  the  Abhorred.  The 
principal  star,  Al  Phard,  means  the  Separated, 
the  Excluded,  the  Put  out  of  the  way.  Another 
name  in  the  constellation  is  Minckir  al  Sug-ia, 
which  means  the  punishing,  or  tearing  to  pieces, 
of  the  Deceiver. 


35 2  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Everything  thus  falls  in  with  the  one  idea, 
and  adds  its  share  to  prove  that  we  here 
have,  by  the  intent  of  those  who  framed 
these  signs,  a  direct  and  graphic  picture  of 
the  glorious  triumph  of  the  Seed  of  the  wo- 
man crushing  the  Serpent's  head  and  putting 
him  out  of  the  way  for  ever. 

And  if  further  evidence  is  needed,  it  is  fur- 
nished in  the  two  remaining  Decans  of  this 
final  sign. 

Crater,  or  the  Cup  of  Wrath. 
The  Psalmist  (75  :  8)  says  :  "  In  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  there  is  a  cup,  and  the  wine  is  red  ; 
it  is  full  of  mixture ;  and  He  poureth  out  of 
the  same  :  but  the  dregs  thereof  all  the  wick- 
ed of  the  earth  shall  wring  out,  and  drink ;" 
"  Upon  the  wicked  He  shall  rain  burning 
coals,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  a  fiery  tempest  : 
this  shall  be  the  portion  of  their  cup"  (11:6). 
Concerning  every  worshipper  of  the  Beast 
John  heard  the  angel  proclaim,  "  The  same 
shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
which  is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the 
cup  of  His  indigriation  ;  and  he  shall  be  tor- 
mented with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  Lamb  ;  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment 


CRATER,   OR    THE  CUP  OF  WRATH.  353 

ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever:  and  they 
have  no  rest  day  nor  night"  (Rev.  14:  10, 
11).  The  portion  of  the  worshippers  of  the 
son  of  perdition  is  "  the  lake  of  fire/'  and  the 
same  is  likewise  dealt  out  to  the  Beast  and 
the  False  Prophet,  and  ultimately  to  the 
Devil  himself:  for  John  saw  him  "  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the 
Beast  and  the  False  Prophet  are,"  and  where 
he  "  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for 
ever  and  ever"  (Rev.  20  :  10).  In  other 
words,  he  and  all  his  are  to  drink  of  the  wine 
of  the  wrath  of  God  which  is  poured  out  with- 
out adulteration  or  dilution  into  the  cup  of 
the  divine  indignation. 

And  lo !  here,  as  the  second  Decan  of 
Leo,  we  have  the  very  picture  of  that  Cup, 
broad,  deep,  full  to  the  brim,  and  placed  di- 
rectly on  the  body  of  this  writhing  Serpent ! 
Nay,  the  same  is  sunk  into  his  very  sub- 
stance, for  the  same  stars  which  mark  the 
bottom  of  the  Cup  are  part  of  the  body  of 
the  accursed  monster,  so  that  the  curse  is 
fastened  down  on  him  and  in  him  as  an  ele- 
ment of  all  his  after  being  !  Dreadful  be- 
yond all  thought  is  the  picture  John  gives  of 
this  Cup  of  unmingled  and  eternal  wrath,  but 
not  a  whit  more  dreadful  than  the  picture  of 
30*  x 


354  THE   GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS. 

it  which  the  primeval  prophets  have  thus  in- 
scribed upon  the  stars. 

CORVUS,  OR    THE    RAVEN. 

But  this  is  not  all.  The  wise  man  says; 
"  The  eye  that  mocketh  at  his  father,  and 
despiseth  to  obey  his  mother,  the  ravens  of 
the  valley  shall  pick  it  out,  and  the  young 
eagles  shall  eat  it"  (Prov.  30:17).  When 
David,  the  first  great  impersonation  of  Ju- 
dah's  Lion,  met  the  terrible  Goliath  of  Gath, 
he  cursed  him  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  and  said  :  "  I  will  smite  thee,  and 
take  thy  head  from  thee  ;  and  I  will  give  the 
carcasses  of  the  host  of  the  Philistines  this 
day  unto  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  to  the  wild 
beasts  of  the  earth"  (1  Sam.  17  146).  So, 
when  the  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of  kings 
dashes  forth  on  the  white  horse,  with  the 
armies  of  heaven  following  Him  on  white 
horses,  to  tread  the  winepress  of  the  fierce- 
ness and  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  an  angel 
stands  in  the  sun,  calling  with  a  great  voice 
to  all  the  fowls  and  birds  of  prey  to  come  and 
feast  themselves  on  the  flesh  of  the  enemy 
(Rev.  19:17,  18).  And  here,  in  the  third 
Decan  of  Leo,  we  have  the  pictorial  sign  o{ 
the  same  thing.     Here  is  Corvus,  the  Raven, 


THE    CAREER    OF   THE   SERPENT.  355 

the  bird  of  punishment  and  final  destruction, 
grasping  the  body  of  Hydra  with  its  feet  and 
tearing-  him  with  its  beak. 

The  myths  have  but  little  sensible  or  con- 
sistent to  say  of  this  Raven,  except  in  mak- 
ing it  the  symbol  of  punished  treachery. 
The  Greeks  and  Romans  had  for  the  most 
part  lost  its  meaning.  The  Egyptians  called 
it  Her-na,  the  Enemy  broken.  The  star  in 
the  eye  of  this  ill-omened  bird  is  called  At 
Chiba,  the  Curse  inflicted.  Another  name  in 
the  constellation  is  Minchir  al  Gorab,  the  Ra- 
ven tearing  to  pieces.  It  is  the  sign  of  the 
absolute  discomfiture  and  destruction  of  the 
Serpent  and  all  his  power ;  for  when  the 
birds  once  begin  to  tear  and  gorge  the  flesh 
of  fallen  foes,  no  further  power  to  resist,  harm 
or  annoy  remains  in  them.    Their  course  is  run 

Thus,  then,  and  thus  completely,  does  Ju- 
dah's  Lion  dispose  of  that  old  Serpent-enemy, 
with  all  his  Hydra  heads,  when  once  the  day 
of  final  settlement  comes. 

The  Career  of  the  Serpent. 

Great  and  marvellous  is  the  part  which  this 

arch-enemy  has  played  in  the  history  of  our 

race,  is  still  playing,  and  will  yet  play  before 

the  end  is  reached.     Like  a  dark  and  chilling 


35<3  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

shadow  he  came  up  upon  the  new-born  world, 
insinuated  his  slime  into  the  garden  of  human 
innocence,  deceived  and  disinherited  the  race 
at  its  very  spring,  and  so  spun  his  webs  around 
the  souls  of  the  earlier  generations  as  to  drag 
almost  the  entire  population  of  the  earth  to 
one  common  ruin.  Hardly  had  that  great 
calamity  passed  when  he  began  again  with 
new  schemes  to  get  men  in  his  power  and 
sway  them  to  his  will.  Before  the  Flood  he 
won  them  through  their  carnal  passions.  Now 
he  set  himself  to  taint  their  holy  worship,  per- 
verting it  into  idolatries  which  have  held  and 
debased  the  great  body  of  mankind  for  these 
forty  centuries,  and  still  holds  great  portions 
or  the  world  in  darkness  and  in  death.  Then 
he  plied  them  with  visions  of  empire  and  do- 
minion, and  thus  filled  the  earth  and  the  ages 
with  murderous  tyrannies,  misrule,  oppres- 
sions, wars,  and  political  abominations.  Then 
he  began  to  corrupt  the  thinking  and  philos- 
ophies of  men,  thereby  making  them  willing 
slaves  to  damning  error.  And  even  to-day 
he  is  the  very  god  of  this  world,  to  whose  lies 
the  vast  majority  of  the  race  render  homage, 
whose  rule  is  in  living  sway  over  at  least  two- 
thirds  of  the  population  of  the  earth,  which 
is  full  of  misery  from  his  power. 


THE  END.  357 

Nor  is  there  the  slightest  solid  around  for 
hope  that  it  will  be  essentially  otherwise  till 
the  great  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  comes 
forth  in  the  fury  of  his  almightiness  to  make, 
an  utter  end  of  him  and  his  infernal  domina- 
tion. But  his  doom  is  sealed.  On  the  face 
of  these  lovely  stars  it  has  been  written  from 
the  beginning,  the  same  as  in  the  Book. 
Though  Satan's  grasp  upon  our  world  should 
hold  through  the  lone;  succession  of  two-thirds 
of  the  signs,  there  is  at  last  a  Lion  in  the  way, 
alive,  awake,  and  mighty,  even  that  Seed  of 
the  woman  whom  he  has  all  these  aees  been 
wounding  in  the  heel  and  trying  to  defeat  and 
destroy.  That  Lion  he  cannot  pass.  Cun- 
ningly as  the  subtle  Deceiver  has  wound  him- 
self about  everything,  injecting  his  poison  and 
making  firm  his  hellish  dominion,  he  will  soon 
be  dragged  forth  to  judgment,  seized  by  al- 
mighty power,  crushed,  torn,  pierced,  put 
under  the  bowl  of  eternal  wrath,  whilst  the 
hundred-headed  body  in  which  he  has  oper- 
ated through  all  these  aees  is  eiven  to  the 
black  birds  of  unclean ness   to  be  devoured. 

The  End. 
And  when  the  Serpent  thus  falls  the  circle 
of  time  is  complete,  and  it  is  eternity.    There 


358       THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

is  no  continuity  of  the  way  of  time  beyond 
the  victorious  triumphs  of  Judah's  Lion. 
Death,  and  Hell,  and  all  the  wild  beasts,  with 
all  their  children,  and  the  old  Serpent,  their 
father,  with  them,  thenceforward  have  their 
place  in  the  everlasting  prison  burning  with 
fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second  death. 
And  outside  of  that  dread  place  "  there  shall 
be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain  :  for  the 
former  things  are  passed  away."  Then  the 
great  voices  in  heaven  sing:  "Behold,  the 
tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will 
dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  His  peo- 
ple, and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and 
be  their  God ;"  for  they  "  shall  inherit  all 
things  "    (Rev.  21). 

Blessed  consummation  !  How  should  we 
look  and  long  and  pray  for  it,  as  Jesus  has 
directed  where  He  tells  us  to  say,  "  Thy  king- 
dom come —  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven  "  !  Well  might  one  of  England's  great- 
est poets  cry :  "  Come  forth  out  of  Thy  royal 
chambers,  O  Prince  of  all  the  kings  of  the 
earth  !  Put  on  the  visible  robes  of  Thy  impe- 
rial Majesty  !  Take  up  the  unlimited  sceptre 
which  Thy  almighty  Father  hath  bequeathed 
Thee !     For  now  the  voice  of  Thy  bride  calls 


THE  END.  359 

Thee,  and  all  creatures  sigh  to  be  renewed." 
How  cheering  the  hope,  amidst  the  clash  of 
conflicting  beliefs,  the  strife  of  words,  the  din 
of  war,  the  shouts  of  false  joy,  the  yells  of 
idolatry,  the  sneers  of  unbelief,  the  agonies 
of  a  dying  race,  and  the  groans  of  a  whole 
creation  travailing  in  pain  together  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Serpent's  malignity,  that  a  pe- 
riod is  coming  when  eternal  death  shall  be 
that  Serpent's  portion  ;  when  peace  and  order 
and    heavenliness    shall    stretch    their  brio-ht 

o 

wings  over  the  happy  sons  of  men  ;  when 
rivers  of  joy  proceeding  from  the  throne  of 
God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  water  all  this 
vale  of  tears ;  when  cherubim  to  cherubim 
shall  cry,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  God 
of  hosts ;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  His 
glory ;"  when  myriads  of  myriads  and  thou- 
sands of  thousands  of  angels  round  about 
the  throne  shall  join  in  the  acclaim  of  "  Wor- 
thy is  the  Lamb  which  hath  been  slain,  to  re- 
ceive the  Power,  and  Riches,  and  Wisdom, 
and  Might,  and  Honor,  and  Glory,  and  Bless- 
ing ;"  and  when  every  creature  which  is  in 
heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth, 
and  upon  the  sea,  and  all  things  in  them,  shall 
sing,  "To  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  to   the  Lamb,  be  the   Blessing,   and   the 


360  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Honor,  and  the  Glory,  and  the  Dominion,  for 
the  ages  of  the  ages  "  !  Yet  such  is  our  hope 
given  us  as  an  anchor  for  our  souls,  both  sure 
and  steadfast,  entering  into  that  within  the 
veil,  and  linking  us  even  now  to  those  solid 
shores  of  the  world  to  come.  We  have  it  in 
the  written  word  of  Prophets  and  Apostles, 
and  the  same  is  certified  to  us  by  these  ever- 
lasting stars  in  their  ceaseless  journeyings 
around  the  pathway  of  the  circling  year.  God 
be  thanked  for  such  a  hope  !  God  be  thanked 
for  the  full  and  wide-sounding  testimony  to 
its  certainty !  God  be  thanked  that  it  has 
come  to  us,  and  that  ours  is  the  privilege  of 
taking  it  to  our  souls  in  the  confidence  and 
comfort  that  it  shall  be  fulfilled  ! 

"  Not  the  light  that  leaves  us  darker, 

Not  the  gleams  that  come  and  go, 
Not  *he  mirth  whose  end  is  madness, 

Not  the  joy  whose  fruit  is  woe; 
Not  the  notes  that  die  at  sunset, 

Not  the  fashion  of  a  day  ; 
But  the  everlasting  beauty 
And  the  endless  melody, 
Heir  of  glory  ! 
That  shall  be  for  thee  and  me." 


Hccture  jftftenttf), 

THE  SECRETS   OF   WISDOM. 

Job  1 1  :  6  :  "  He  would  show  thee  the  secrets  of  wisdom,  that  they 
are  double  to  that  which  is." 

THINGS  are  more  than  they  seem.  They 
are  not  only  more  in  themselves  than 
we  can  know  or  understand,  but  they  are  re- 
lated to  other  and  hidden  spheres  beyond 
the  reach  of  our  natural  reason.  "  They  are 
double"  in  their  expression,  so  that  what  is 
external  and  natural  at  the  same  time  includes 
something  recondite  and  spiritual.  The  Scrip- 
tures everywhere  recognize  this,  and  con- 
stantly proceed  upon  it  in  what  we  call  sym- 
bols, types,  parables,  allegories,  and  tropes. 
And  the  true  "  secrets  of  wisdom,"  as  well  as 
the  characteristics  of  divine  teaching,  accord- 
ing to  Zophar,  lie  in  this  double  of  what  we 
naturally  observe  and  experience. 

In  so  far,  then,  as  this  doubleness  of  show- 
ing is  a  mark  of  divine  teaching,  the  pri- 
meval astronomy  is  pre-eminently  a  part  of 
God's  own  revelation  ;  for  here  we  find  not 


31 


361 


362  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

only  a  superhuman  knowledge  of  the  natural 
economy  of  the  starry  heavens,  but  a  double- 
ness  of  expression  by  which  we  may  also 
read  the  whole  system  of  Messianic  truths, 
predictions,  and  hopes. 

To  human  observation  there  is  nothing 
grander  than  this  universe  of  heavenly  worlds. 
The  study  of  them  is  justly  regarded  as  the 
sublimest  of  the  sciences.  But,  on  the  basis 
of  these  natural  facts  and  presentations,  there 
is  a  duplicate  of  meaning  touching  another 
department  of  the  divine  manifestations  which 
is  vastly  sublimer  and  more  precious  than  all 
the  knowledge  of  astronomy. 

The  Ground  thus  Far. 
In  our  endeavors  to  trace  this  double  of 
the  starry  expressions  we  have  been  occu- 
pied entirely  with  the  Solar  Zodiac  and  its 
thirty-six  Decans.  In  this  we  have  indeed 
the  main  stellar  presentations.  Following 
this  Way  through  its  various  steps  or  sta- 
tions, with  their  explanatory  Faces,  we  ne- 
cessarily have  before  us  all  the  most  con- 
spicuous markings  of  the  heavens.  And  if 
there  really  is  a  legible  record  of  the  Gospel 
in  the  stars,  it  must  be  found,  above  all,  in 
what  we  have  thus  eone  over.     Whether  the 


THE    GROUND    THUS  FAR.  363 

findings  have  in  fact  been  such  as  to  warrant 
us  in  concluding  that  Christ  and  His  fore- 
announced  achievements  are  there  symbol- 
ized, must  be  decided  by  those  who  will  can- 
didly consider  what  has  been  brought  out. 
For  my  own  part,  I  have  not  the  slightest 
doubt  or  question  on  the  subject.  Taking 
the  facts,  figures,  and  names  as  our  common, 
every-day  astronomy  gives  them,  I  find  such 
clear  and  evident  marks  of  connection  and 
design,  such  thorough  consistency  in  the  elab- 
oration of  all  the  details,  such  distinct  and 
orderly  progress  of  thought  in  the  arrange- 
ments of  beginning,  continuity,  and  end,  such 
a  universal  and  multitudinous  array  of  myths 
and  legends  founded  on  the  constellations  and 
running  parallel  with  their  meaning  as  thus 
interpreted,  such  a  complete  identity  of  im- 
ages and  terms  with  the  scriptural  presenta- 
tions of  the  same  things,  and  such  a  self- 
evidencing  and  exhaustive  outlining  of  all 
the  great  features  of  the  Gospel  story,  along 
with  such  a  profound  and  accurate  penetration 
into  the  whole  organization  of  the  visible  uni- 
verse,— that  I  should  have  to  go  against  all 
laws  of  evidence  and  principles  of  logic  not 
to  accept  it  as  very  truth  that  these  heavens 
do  declare  "the  glory  of  God"  as  embodied 


364  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

in  the  person,  mission,  work,  and  redemptive 
achievements  of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Lunar  Zodiac. 

But  the  markings  of  the  heavens  are  not 
exhausted  by  what  pertains  to  the  Solar  Zo- 
diac and  its  Decans.  There  is  also  a  Lunar 
Zodiac.  It  consists  of  the  same  belt  as  the 
Solar  Zodiac,  but  divides  that  belt  into  twenty- 
eight  in  place  of  twelve  parts  or  steps  ;  and 
these  twenty-eight  are  called  the  Mansions 
of  the  Moon.  To  each  of  these  twenty-eight 
steps  a  particular  name  is  given.  In  the  In- 
dian astronomy  each  of  these  steps  or  Man- 
sions also  had  a  particular  figure  additional 
to  the  name  ;  but  the  figures  are  not  invari- 
ably the  same.  In  China  and  Arabia  the 
names  are  more  uniform,  but  are  given  with- 
out figures  or  emblems.  The  Parsis  also  had 
the  Lunar  Zodiac,  and  made  much  of  it. 

Astronomers  a^ree  in  reeardine  this  Lunar 
Zodiac  as  containing  the  most  ancient  remains 
of  the  science  of  the  stars.  The  Romans, 
Greeks,  and  Egyptians  knew  little  or  noth- 
ing about  it,  but  it  is  a  matter  of  record  in 
China  that  it  was  known  and  understood  in 
that  country  as  early  as  the  reign  of  Yao, 
about  twenty- three  hundred  years  before  the 


THE   LUNAR   ZODIAC.  365 

Christian  era,  which  was  before  the  time  of 
Abraham.*  In  the  Chinese  astronomy  it  be- 
gins with  Virgo,  which  would  seem  to  indi- 
cate that  the  Chinese  table  came  from  the 
antediluvian  times. 

The  Lunar  Zodiac  is  manifestly  from  the 
same  source  as  the  Solar,  and  great  import- 
ance was  attached  to  it  wherever  the  know- 
ledge of  it  was  preserved  in  living  observance. 
In  Arabia  and  in  India  from  time  immemorial 
these  Mansions  of  the  Moon  held  place  and 
rank  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  the  Solar  Zo- 
diac, and  are  found  interwoven  with  all  poetry 
and  science,  and  incorporated  not  only  into 
the  worship  and  mythology,  but  also  into  va- 
rious customs  of  private  life.  Children  there 
are  still  frequently  named  according  to  the 
Lunar  Mansions  under  which  they  were  born. 

They  are  preserved  in  Scandinavia  and 
Burmah,  and  traces  of  them  have  been  found 
in  the  ruins  of  ancient  Mexico.  Al  Fercrani 
in  Bagdad,  Albumazer  in  Spain,  and  Ulugh 
Beigh,  the  Tartar  prince  and  astronomer, 
grandson  of  Tamerlane,  have   transmitted  to 

*  This  point  is  scientifically  presented  in  Max  Miiller's  Sacred 
Books  of  the  East,  vol.  iii.,  by  James  Legge,  where  it  is  said  that 
"  the  most  common,  and  what  was  the  earliest,  division  of  the  Eclip- 
tic in  China  is  that  of  the  twenty-eight  Lunar  Mansions,  forming 
what  we  may  call  the  Chinese  Zodiac." 
31* 


3^6  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

us  the  names  and  enumerations  of  these 
Mansions  of  the  Moon,  and  preserved  to  the 
world  the  evidences  of  their  corresponding 
antiquity  with  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Solar 
Zodiac* 

There  is,  therefore,  every  reason  to  expect, 
if  it  was  meant  that  the  stars  should  carry  a 
prophetic  record  of  the  Gospel,  that  we  would 
find  it  also  in  the  arrangement  and  naming 
of  these  Lunar  Mansions.  And,  as  we  would 
anticipate,  so  it  really  is. 

Names  of  the  Lunar  Mansions. 

Christ  was  predicted  as  "  the  Desire  of 
nations,"  "the  Desire  of  women;"  and  so 
the  first  of  these  Mansions  is  named  Al 
Azua,  the  Desired.  Christ  was  foretold  as 
uthe  Branch,"  God's  "servant  the  Branch," 
"  the  Branch  of  Righteousness  who  shall  exe- 
cute judgment,"  and  the  like  ;  and  the  second 
of  these  Mansions  is  called  Simak  al  Azel, 
Branch  of  the  power  of  God.  It  was  pre 
dieted  of  Christ  that  His  soul  should  be  made 
an  offering  for  sin  (Isa.  53  :  10)  :  "He  is  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins  and  for  the  sins  of 

*  See  Hyde's  Syntagma,  vol.  i. ;   Freytag's  Arabic  Lexicon;  and 
Le  Gem.il,   Voy.  dans  les  Indes. 


THE    LUNAR   MANSIONS.  367 

the  whole  world."  And  so  the  third  of  these 
Mansions  bears  the  name  of  Caphir,  the 
Atonement,  the  Propitiation  by  sacrifice. 

These  three  Mansions  correspond  to  Virgo. 

Christ  was  everywhere  promised  as  the  Re- 
deemer, the  Saviour,  He  who  should  bring  re- 
demption ;  and  the  fourth  of  these  Mansions 
is  named  Al  Zubena,  the  redeeming,  the  re- 
gaining by  purchase,  the  bttying  back.  When 
Christ  died  he  said,  "  It  is  finished  ;"  and  the 
fifth  of  these  Mansions  is  named  Al  Iclil,  the 
complete  submission. 

These  two  names  answer  to  Libra. 

And  so  the  list  proceeds  in  strict  accord 
with  the  scriptural  prophecies  and  descrip- 
tions of  the  Seed  of  the  woman.     Thus : 

Corresponding  to  Scorpio. 
Al  Kalb,  the    cleaving   or   wounding;    Al 
Shaula,  the   sting,  the  deadly  wound. 

Corresponding  to  Sagittarius. 

Al  Nairn,  the  gracious,  the  delighted  in  ;  Al 
Beldah,  hastily  coming,  as  to  judgment. 

So  far,  the  reference  plainly  is  to  the  person 
and  work  of  Christ  as  respects  himself,  as  in 
the  first  quaternary  of  the  Solar  Zodiac. 

The  succeeding  series  runs  thus : 


368  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

Corresponding  to  Capricornus. 
Al  Dibah,  the  sacrifice  slain. 

Corresponding  to  Aquarius. 
Sciad  al  Bida,  witness    of   the    rising*-  or 

o 

drinking  in  ;  Sciad  al  Su'itd,  witness  of  the. 
swimming-  or  outpouring ;  Al  Achbiya,  the 
fountain   of    pouring. 

Corresponding  to  Pisces. 

Al  Pherg  al  Muchaddem,  the  progeny  of 
the  ancient  times  ;  Al  Pherg  al  Muackker,  the 
progeny  of  the  latter  times ;  Al  Risha,  the 
band,  the  joined  together. 

Corresponding  to  Aries. 

Al  Sheratan,  the  wounded,  that  was  cut  off; 
Al Botein,  the  treading  under  foot;  Al  Thur- 
aiya,  the  enemy  punished. 

These  names  thus  run  in  remarkable  paral- 
lel of  meaning  with  the  signs  and  more  ample 
showings  in  the  second  quaternary  of  the 
Solar  Zodiac.  It  is  the  same  also  with  regard 
to  the  rest  of  these  names  as  compared  with 
the  last  four  signs. 


the  milky  way.  369 

Corresponding  to  Taurus. 
Al  Debaran,  the  Leader,  the  Governor,  the 
Subduer  ;  Al  Heka,  the  driving  away. 

Corresponding  to  Gemini. 
Al  Henah,  the  wounded  in  the  foot ;  Al  Di- 
rah,  the  ill-treated. 

Corresponding  to  Cancer. 
Al  Nethra,  the  treasure,  the  possession  ;  Al 
Terpha,  the  healed,  the  delivered,  the  saved. 

Corresponding  to  Leo. 

Al  Gieba,  the  exaltation,  the  Prince ;  Al 
Zubra,  the  heaped-up,  as  sin  and  delayed 
punishment ;  Al  Serpha,  the  burning,  the  fu- 
neral-pyre. 

The  whole  series  of  these  names  thus  runs 
parallel  with  the  signs  of  the  Solar  Zodiac, 
and  ends  up  precisely  in  the  same  way,  prov- 
ing that  they  are  of  a  piece  with  it. 

The  Milky  Way. 

Another  distinct  marking  of   the  heavens 

is  a  snowy  belt,  from  four  to  twenty  degrees 

or  more  in  width,  which  stretches  obliquely 

over  the  sky  from  south-west  to  north-east, 

Y 


370  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

thus  cutting  the  Ecliptic,  and  extending  en- 
tirely around  the  whole  circuit  of  the  heavens 
in  another  direction.  It  is  best  seen  in  the 
months  from  June  to  November,  and  looks 
like  a  great  river  of  hazy  brightness.  It  is 
called  the  Galaxy,  the  Milky  Way,  the  Galac- 
tic Circle.  It  was  once  supposed  to  be  a  vast 
collection  of  nebulous  matter  consisting  of  yet 
forming-  or  unformed  stars,  but  later  inves- 
tigations  have  demonstrated  that  the  whole 
Milky  Way  is  made  up  of  myriads  on  myriads 
of  suns  like  ours,  which  is  itself  one  of  them. 
Milton  refers  to  this  great  belt  as 

"  A  broad  and  ample  road,  whose  dust  is  gold, 
And  pavement  stars,  as  stars  to  thee  appear — 
A  circling  zone,  powdered  with  stars." 

The  ancient  heathen  poets  and  philosophers 
spoke  of  this  Way  as  the  path  which  their 
deities  used  in  the  heavens,  and  claimed  that 
it  led  directly  to  the  throne  and  "  the  Thun- 
derer's abode."  And  if  the  primeval  prophets 
had  wished  to  mark  on  the  sky  the  steps  and 
stages  in  the  life  and  work  of  the  promised 
Seed  of  the  woman,  and  the  results  of  the 
same,  this  marvellous  "pathway  of  the  gods" 
was  well  suited  to  their  purpose.  And  so  we 
also  find  it  employed. 

Twelve  of  the   constellations  are  situated 


THE   MILKY  WAY.  37 1 

in  or  on  this  Milky  Way  ;  six  of  which  relate 
to  the  first  advent,  and  six  to  the  second. 
They  start  at  the  lowest  point  with  the  Cross 
and  the  Altar  of  sacrifice,  the  burning  pen- 
alty of  sin  ;  as  Christ  humbled  himself  and 
became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death 
of  the  cross,  and  laid  the  foundations  of  sal- 
vation in  becoming  a  curse  for  us.  Then 
comes  the  cleft  of  Scorpio,  the  sting  of  death 
and  the  power  of  hell,  seeming  to  split 
asunder  the  Milky  Way  itself.  Then  comes 
the  Eagle  pierced ;  then  the  Swan  on  out- 
spread wings,  going  and  returning  with  the 
bright  cross  displayed  upon  its  breast  for  all 
the  world  to  see  ;  and  then  the  royal  Cepheus 
swaying  the  sceptre  of  empire,  with  his  foot 
upon  the  pole  of  dominion,  high  over  all  au- 
thority and  power ;  all  of  which  epitomizes 
with  great  exactness  the  biblical  portraiture 
of  Christ's  history  up  to  the  time  when   He 


is  to  come  again. 


The  first  thine  to  occur  when  the  time  of 
Christ's  second  coming  arrives  is  the  seizing 
away  of  His  true  people,  dead'  and  alive,  to 
himself  in  the  sky  ;  and  so  the  next  sign  on 
this  Way  is  that  of  Cassiopeia,  the  enthroned 
woman,  the  Church  set  free  from  its  bonds 
and  crowned  with  heavenly  glory. 


372  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

The  next  picture  is  that  of  Pcrscvs,  the 
illustrious  Breaker,  full-armed  and  winged, 
the  savior  of  Andromeda,  whom  he  has  en- 
gaged to  make  his  bride,  and  the  slayer  of 
the  Gorgon,  whose  head,  writhing  with  matted 
snakes,  he  bears  away  in  triumph. 

The  next  is  Auriga,  the  mighty  Shepherd, 
ruling  the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron,  but 
having  the  glorified  Church  in  His  bosom, 
and  holding  the  alarmed  little  kids  all  safe 
on   His  mighty  hand. 

The  next  succeeding  picture  is  that  of 
Gemini,  the  heavenly  union  of  Christ  and 
His  Church,  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb. 

The  fifth  picture  is  that  of  the  doubly-glo- 
rious Orion,  the  mighty  Hunter  of  all  the 
wild  beasts  of  apostate  power  in  all  their 
lurking-places,  going  forth  in  His  princely 
and  all-conquering  energy,  treading  down  the 
Serpent  beneath  His  feet,  and  slaying  even 
Death  and  Hell. 

And  then  comes  the  last  of  the  series, 
Argo,  the  anchored  ship  of  the  heroes  re- 
turned from  their  perilous  expedition  to  re- 
cover the  Golden  Fleece,  securely  landed  now 
on  the  home-shores,  with  their  imperishable 
treasure  secured  for  ever.  This  completes 
the  circle  of  the  Snowy  Way,  which  even  the 


THE   PRIMEVAL    PATRIARCHS.  373 

heathen  recognized  and  celebrated  as  the 
path  to  glory  and  to  God. 

Could  this  arrangement,  so  clear,  so  con- 
sistent, and  so  thoroughly  conformed  to  all 
that  the  Scriptures  teach  us  on  the  subject 
of  our  salvation,  have  come  about  by  mere 
accident  ?  Fitted  in  as  it  is  with  the  Zodiacal 
showings,  on  a  circle  so  different,  and  yet, 
in  its  own  path,  exhibiting  the  same  story  so 
vividly  and  so  fully,  how  can  we  otherwise 
conclude  but  that  here  is  proof  of  a  purpose, 
and  of  the  operation  of  some  great  master 
mind  at  once  familiar  with  the  whole  Gospel 
scheme  and  with  the  whole  system  of  the 
starry  economies  ? 

But  if  we  take  the  conclusion  which  thus 
presses  upon  our  acceptance,  then  we  might 
also  reasonably  expect  to  find  other  recogni- 
tions of  it,  and  to  be  able  to  trace  the  same 
in  the  ancient  symbolisms  of  the  earthly  econ- 
omies also.  And  here  too  we  only  need  to 
look  to  find  many  remarkable  facts. 

The  Primeval  Patriarchs. 
Take,  for  example,  the  names  of  the  ante- 
diluvian patriarchs  as  given  in  the  fifth  chapter 
of  Genesis.     From  early  Christian  antiquity 
these  have  been  held  to  contain   a  synopsis 

32 


374  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

of  the  whole  Gospel  story.  These  names  all 
have  meanings  ;  and  those  meanings,  taken 
in  their  historic  order,  indicate  the  main  things 
in  the  history  of  our  redemption.  But  who 
would  anticipate,  without  being  told  it,  that 
these  names  and  their  meanings  equally  cor- 
respond with  the  Zodiac  in  the  senses  in  which 
I  have  been  explaining  them  ? 

Adam  means  the  bright,  the  excellent,  the 
godlike,  and  also  to  suffer  death.  And  who 
is  the  fountain  and  soul  of  our  salvation  but 
another  Adam,  the  brightness  of  the  Father's 
glory  and  the  express  image  of  His  person, 
given  to  die  for  our  sins  ?  But  this  is  the 
picture  of  the  Seed  of  the  woman  in  Virgo, 
glorious  as  Spica,  blessed  as  the  Branch, 
precious  as  the  Desired  One,  like  God  as 
Son  of  God,  and  the  sufferer  as  Centaur  and 
the  Victim ! 

Seth  means  appointed  in  the  place  of  an- 
other, a  substitute,  a  compensation,  a  price. 
So  Christ  is  our  Se.th,  appointed  to  take  our 
place  as  our  substitute,  making  compensation 
for  our  sins,  and  paying  the  price  by  which 
we  are  redeemed.  But  this  is  the  precise  rep- 
resentation given  in  the  sign  of  Libra  ! 

Enos  means  mortal,  suffering,  afflicted.  So 
Christ  was  the  appointed  bearer  of  our  griefs, 


THE   PRIMEVAL    PATRIARCHS.  375 

the  carrier  of  our  sorrows,  stricken,  smitten 
of  God,  and  afflicted,  by  whose  stripes  heal- 
ing comes  to  us.  But  this  again  is  the  exact 
showing  we  had  in  the  sign  of  Scorpio  ! 

Cainan  means  acquisition,  forcible  gaining 
of  possession.  So  Christ's  mission  is  to 
bruise  the  Serpent's  head,  to  ride  forth  here- 
after in  joyous  majesty  as  a  warrior,  whose 
right  hand  shows  terrible  things,  and  whose 
arrows  are  sharp  in  the  heart  of  the  King's 
enemies.  But  this  is  the  precise  exhibit  in 
the  sign  of  Sagittarius ! 

Mahalalecl  means  the  display  or  praise  of 
God.  And  so  it  is  everywhere  set  forth  as 
the  particular  outshining  of  God's  glory  and 
the  special  topic  of  His  praise  that  Christ 
was  "delivered  for  our  offences  and  raised 
again  for  our  justification,"  thus  begetting  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people  to  "  make  known  the 
riches  of  His  glory,"  "  to  the  intent  that  unto 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  the  heaven- 
lies  might  be  known  by  the  Church  the  mani- 
fold wisdom  of  God,"  "  to  the  praise  of  His 
glory."  But  this  again  is  what  we  had  in  the 
sign  of  Capricornus  ! 

yared  means  the  descending,  the  coming 
down,  as  the  Holy  Ghost  shed  forth  to  quick- 
en and  energize  humanity,  according  to  the 


376  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

promise.      But  this  was  the  showing  which  we 
had  in  Aquarius  ! 

Enoch  means  consecrated,  initiated,  taught, 
trained,  and  this  is  what  characterizes  the 
Church  of  all  ages.  To  that  of  old  time  and 
to  that  of  our  dispensation  it  could  equally  be 
said :  "  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people, 
that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  Him 
who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  His 
marvellous  light"  (i  Pet.  2:  9).  But  this  is 
the  very  subject  of  the  sign  of  Pisces ! 

Methuselah  means  released  from  death.  So 
Christ  appeared  to  John  in  the  visions  of  the 
Apocalypse  as  the  Lamb  standing  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne,  marked  as  having  been  slain, 
but  invested  with  the  perfection  of  power,  wis- 
dom, and  divine  endowment,  and  having  also 
the  keys  of  Death  and  of  Hades  to  release 
and  bring  forth  all  His  people  to  the  same 
heavenly  life.  But  this,  again,  is  the  very 
presentation  made  in  the  sign  of  Aries ! 

Lantech  means  the  strong,  the  mighty,  the 
wild  and  invincible  overthrower.  And  so 
Christ  is  to  come  "travelling  in  the  greatness 
of  His  strength,"  "with  power  and  great 
glory,"  to  execute  judgment  upon  the  Enemy, 
to  make  the  apostate  nations  drink  the  cup  of 


THE   PRIMEVAL   PATRIARCHS.  S77 

His  indignation,  and  to  tread  the  winepress 
of  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  till  the  moun- 
tains are  melted  with  blood.  But  this  is  the 
exact  presentation  which  we  had  in  the  sign 
of  Taztrus  ! 

Noah  means  rest  And  so  there  remaineth 
a  rest  for  the  people  of  God  after  the  wicked 
are  destroyed — a  calm  repose  with  our  Re- 
deemer when  we  reach  the  farther  shore  of 
the  boisterous  sea  of  this  world — an  everlast- 
ing union  with  the  Lord  as  His  bride  and  wife. 
But  this  is  the  very  theme  of  the  sign  of  Gem- 
ini ! 

This  exhausts  ten  signs  of  the  Zodiac  in 
their  order  ;  and  if  we  would  have  names  sim- 
ilarly answering  to  the  remaining  two,  Shem 
and  Arphaxad,  in  whom  the  line  of  the  prom- 
ised Messiah  was  continued  after  Noah,  may 
serve  to  furnish  them. 

SJiem  means  name,  renown,  the  standard  of 
empire,  the  symbol  of  an  established  kingdom ; 
just  as  is  predicted  of  the  glorious  kingdom 
to  be  given  to  the  saints.  But  this  is  the  sub- 
ject given  in  the  sign  of  Cancer !  And  Ar- 
phaxad means  the  strength,  the  stronghold 
of  the  assembly ;  which  again  is  the  import 
of  the  sign  of  Leo  ! 

It  is  marvellous  that  things  should  be  so ; 

32  * 


3/8  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

but  here  are  the  facts,  and  they  could  by  no 
possibility  have  been  what  they  are  by  mere 
accident.  There  must  needs  have  been  great 
intelligence  thus  to  fit  what  we  might  call  ac- 
cidents  of  earth  with  such  elaborations  of  signs 
in  the  heavens,  to  utter  and  record  in  both  the 
full-length  evangelic  story.  Nor  could  that  in- 
telligence have  achieved  such  a  work  unhelped 
by  the  Spirit  of  Him  who  alone  knows  the  end 
of  all  things  from  the  beginning. 

The  Twelve  Tribes  of  Israel. 

Likewise  in  the  names  of  Jacob's  sons  in 
his  prophetic  blessings  on  them  (Gen.  49), 
in  the  corresponding  song  of  Moses  on  the 
several  tribes  of  Israel  (Deut.  n),  on  the 
banners  borne  by  these  tribes  in  their  march 
through  the  wilderness  from  Egypt  to  Ca- 
naan, and  in  the  jewels  of  the  breastplate  of 
their  officiating  high  priest,  do  we  again  find 
distinct  correspondence  to  the  celestial  signs, 
just  as  I  have  been  identifying  and  describing 
them.  I  may  not  enter  now  upon  the  full 
showing  in  these  instances.  I  state  only  a 
few  elements   of  the   presentation. 

Zebulon  means  dwelling,  the  choosing  and 
entering  upon  a  home.  Jacob  blessed  Zebu- 
lon as  to  dwell  at  the  seas  as  a  haven  for  the 


THE    TWELVE    TRIBES    OF  ISRAEL.  S79 

ships.  Moses  sung  of  his  joyful  going  forth. 
His  jewel  representative  was  Bareketh,  glit- 
tering, bright.  So  Christ  is  the  brightness  of 
the  Father's  glory,  who,  when  He  entered 
upon  His  ministry  of  light  and  salvation,  se- 
lected Zebulon  as  its  home-centre,  and  on 
those  shores  opened  out  His  brightness,  so 
that  the  land  of  Zebulon  beheld  a  great  light 
come  to  dwell  there  as  Lord  and  Saviour. 
But  all  this  is  in  thorough  correspondence 
with  what  hung  prophetic  in  the  sky  in  the 
sien  of   Virgo. 

The  next  succeeding  sign  did  not  appear 
on  any  of  the  standards  of  Israel,  for  Levi 
had  no  separate  banner.  The  sanctuary  it- 
self was  Levi's  ensign.  His  business  was  to 
take  care  of  that,  and  there  to  offer  sacrifices 
for  the  people's  sins.  But  all  the  more  ex- 
pressively did  he  thus  bear  aloft  the  showing 
of  redemption's  price,  just  as  we  found  it  sig- 
nalized in  Libra.  He  kept  the  balances  of 
the  sanctuary. 

Dan  means  judge,  administering  as  a  judge. 
Jacob  describes  him  as  judging  and  punishing, 
and  as  a  serpent  and  adder  by  the  way  that 
biteth  the  horses'  heels.  Moses  refers  to  him 
as  a  lion's  whelp,  leaping  from  Bashan.  His 
emblem  was  the  serpent,  and  the  whole  de- 


3 SO  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

scription  concerning  him  answers  to  Scorpio, 
which  was  the  place  assigned  him  in  the  Jew- 
ish Zodiac. 

In  the  same  way  Asher  answers  to  Sagitta- 
rius. His  jewel  representative  is  called  Sho- 
ham,  the  lively,  the  strong,  and  his  name 
means  the  blessed,  the  happy,  the  triumphant 
going  forth.  Moses  speaks  of  him  as  ap- 
proved and  prospered,  dipping  his  foot  in  oil, 
wearing  shoes  of  iron  and  brass,  and  riding 
forth  in  the  strength  of  the  God  of  Jeshurun, 
precisely  as  the  picture  is  in  Sagittarius. 

Naphtali  is  "  a  hind,"  a  wrestler  with  death, 
let  go  to  drop  and  die,  but  filled  with  favor 
and  blessing  nevertheless ;  falling,  yet  joy- 
fully bringing  forth  abundant  new  life  and 
gladness  by  his  "  goodly  words  ;"  which  is 
the  showing  in    Capricornus. 

Reuben  in  like  manner  corresponds  to  Aqua- 
rius. His  name  means  Behold  a  son,  new  be- 
ing. Jacob  speaks  of  him  as  the  beginning 
of  strength  and  excellence,  going  on  to  excel 
as  water  flows.  His  jewel  was  Nophek,  the 
pouring  forth,  as  water  and  light. 

Simeon  means  hearing  and  obeying.  Jacob 
associates  Levi  with  him,  signifying  the  united, 
joined  together,  bound  ;  and  Moses  assigns 
them  the  blessing  of  the  prophetic  lights  and 


THE    TWELVE    TRIBES   OF  ISRAEL.  38 1 

perfections  ;  all  of  which  answers  to  the 
Church  as  pictured  in  the  sign  of  Pisces. 

So  Gad  is  Aries.  The  name  means  the 
seer,  as  the  Lamb  has  "seven  eyes."  He  is 
pierced,  but  overcomes  at  the  last.  He  is 
blessed,  seated  as  a  lawgiver,  dwelling  as  a 
lion.  His  jewel  was  the  diamond,  cutting  and 
breaking,  as  well  as  shining.  With  the  heads 
of  the  people  he  executes  the  justice  and 
judgments  of  the  Lord  with  Israel — that  is, 
with  the  Church.  All  of  which  is  precisely 
the  showing  in  the  sign  of  Aries. 

Joseph  is  Taurus,  the  reem.  Ephraim  and 
Manasseh  are  his  two  great  horns,  pushing 
the  people  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  The 
arms  of  his  hands  are  made  strong  by  the 
mighty  God  of  Jacob.  His  glory  is  like  the 
firstlings  of  the  herd.  His  jewel-sign  signi- 
fies tongues  of  fire.  The  two  pictures  are 
exactly  identical. 

Benjamin  is  Gemini.  He  had  two  names, 
as  Gemini  has  two  figures — Benjamin,  son  of 
the  right  hand,  and  Benoni,  son  of  my  sorrow, 
which  together  describe  Christ  and  the  Church 
He  has  "  begotten  by  His  sorrows."  Both 
are  the  beloved  of  the  Lord,  the  latter  dwell- 
ing between  the  shoulders  of  the  other,  shel- 
tered and  blessed  by  Jehovah  all  the  daylong, 


382  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

in  the  morning  devouring  the  prey  like  a 
ravening  wolf,  and  in  the  evening  dividing 
the  spoils. 

Issachar  means  recompense.  His  jewel  rep- 
resentative is  Pitdah,  reward.  Jacob  speaks 
of  him  as  a  strong  ass  resting  between  the 
burdens  of  treasure.  He  sees  his  resting- 
place  that  it  is  good.  Moses  describes  him 
as  rejoicing  in  his  tents,  to  whose  mountains 
the  people  come  with  sacrifices  of  righteous- 
ness, and  to  suck  the  abundance  of  the  seas 
and  the  yet  hidden  treasures  on  the  shore. 
All  these  presentations  answer  throughout 
to    Cancer. 

And  in  all  the  given  particulars  Judah  is 
Leo.  His  name  means  the  praise  and  glory 
and  majesty  of  God.  His  banner  bore  the 
sign  of  the  rampant  lion.  His  jewel  repre- 
sentative was  the  ruby,  the  symbol  of  blood- 
shedding  unto  victory.  And  Jacob  describes 
him  a^  the  lion,  the  tearer  in  pieces,  the  glo- 
rious victor,  the  same  as  exhibited  in  the  sign 
of  Leo. 

The  New  Jerusalem. 
And  when  we  come  to  the  New  Testament 
we  not  only  find  the  images  of  the  constella- 
tions repeatedly  employed  in  the  same  sense 


THE  NEW  JERLSALEM.  383 

and  application  as  in  our  interpretations  of 
the  signs,  but  also  systematically  placed  to- 
gether, if  not  in  the  twelve  Apostles  of  the 
Lamb,  yet  in  the  twelve  jewels  which  make 
up  the  foundations  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
in  which  are  the  names  of  those  Apostles. 
I  am  not  sufficient  master  of  the  lore  re- 
specting precious  stones  to  verify  all  the 
particulars  involved,  but,  availing  myself  of 
several  lists  which  claim  to  give  the  facts,  I 
find  the  reading  here  just  as  distinct  and 
marvellous  as  anywhere  else. 

The  Apostle  says,  "The  first  foundation 
was  jasper"  which  he  describes  as  " a  stone 
most  precious,"  bright  and  clear.  This  re- 
minds us  at  once  of  Spica,  the  bright  and 
precious  Seed  of  the  woman.  The  meaning 
of  jasper  is  said  to  be  coming  to  bruise  and 
be  bruised — the  same  story  of  the  coming  of 
the  precious  Seed  of  the  woman  as  set  forth 
in  Virgo. 

"The  second,  sapphire"  which  means  num- 
ber, the  count  of  price  and  weight ;  which  is 
Libra. 

"The  third,  chalcedony"  which  means  afflic- 
tion, torture;  and  this  is  the  showing  in 
Scorpio. 

"The  fourth,  emerald"  which  means  defend- 


384  THE  GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

ing,  keeping  as  a  mighty  protector ;  and  this 
is  the  picture  in  Sagittarius. 

" The  fifth,  sardonyx"  which  means  the 
Prince  smitten;  the  same  as  in  Capricornus. 

"  The  sixth,  sardius"  which  means  the  power 
issuing forth  ;  and  so  is  the  parallel  of  Aqua- 
rius. 

"  The  seventh,  chrysolite"  which  means  He 
who  binds,  who  holds  with  bands,  the  bound  to- 
gether ;  and  this  answers  to  Pisces. 

"The  eighth,  beryl"  which  means  the  Son, 
the  first-born,  the  exalted  Head ;  correspond- 
ing precisely  with  the  sign  of  Aries. 

"The  ninth,  topaz"  the  distinguished  gem 
of  Ethiopia,  which  signifies  dashing-  in  pieces  ; 
as  we  saw  in  Taurus. 

"The  tenth,  chrysoprasus"  nearly  the  same 
as  chrysolite,  meaning  they  who  are  united ; 
which  is  Gemini. 

"The  eleventh,  jacinth"  which  means  pos- 
sessing, He  shall  possess ;  just  as  we  saw  in 
Cancer. 

"The  twelfth,  amethyst"  which  means  He 
that  destroys,  destroyer  of  the  destroyer ; 
which  is  Leo. 

Now,  if  we  should  set  ourselves  with  all  the 
genius  and  thought  we  can  by  any  means 
command,   could    we   possibly  express    more 


THE  NEW  JERUSALEM.  385 

clearly  or  fully  by  twelve  stones  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  as 
I  have  explained  them  in  these  Lectures  y  than 
we  thus  find  them  set  forth  by  these  twelve 
jewels  of  the  foundation  of  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem? Nay,  upon  what  else  could  the  golden 
and  eternal  home  of  God's  redeemed  ones  be 
built  but  on  these  precious  jewels  of  the  per- 
son, the  character,  the  offices,  the  work,  and 
the  achievements  of  that  illustrious  Seed  of 
the  woman  in  whom  standeth  our  salvation  ? 
It  is  wonder  on  wonder  that  these  precious 
stones  are  there,  with  just  this  significance ; 
but,  having  this  significance,  and  epitomizing 
as  they  do  the  whole  redemption-history  from 
first  to  last,  I  should  wonder  all  the  more  if 
this  architectural  picture  of  the  eternal  home 
and  blessedness  of  the  saints  did  not  contain 
them  as  its  foundation.  And  being  there,  in 
the  precise  order,  and  in  full  recognition  of 
the  precise  imagery  and  symbolic  import,  of 
the  twelve  signs  of  the  circling  year  of  time, 
they  give  the  stamp  and  seal  of  the  final  rev- 
elation of  the  sublime  and  finished  result  of 
all  that  fills  the  perturbed  ages  of  this  world 
to  the  reality  of  what  I  have  been  seeking  to 
show ;  to  wit,  that  the  mystic  garniture  of 
these  heavens,  which  modern  science  in  its 
33  z 


386  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

vanity  has  chosen  to  regard  as  crude  and 
grotesque  scribbling,  is  verily  a  writing  of 
God,  indited  by  His  Spirit  from  the  beginning 
to  hold  up  to  the  whole  race  of  man,  in  all  its 
branches  and  generations,  what  He  has  also 
caused  to  be  recorded  in  the  Word  deposited 
with  His  own  particular  people  touching  the 
course  and  outcome  of  all  His  grand  pur- 
poses in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Thus,  then,  has  the  great  Almighty  inscribed 
the  works  of  Nature  with  the  symbols  and 
signs  of  His  more  precious  works  of  grace, 
and  shown  us  "  the  secrets  of  wisdom,  that 
they  are  double  to  that  which  is." 

"  Wisdom  !  that  bright  intelligence,  which  sat 
Supreme  when,  with  His  golden  compasses, 
Th'  Eternal  planned  the  fabric  of  the  world, 
Produced  His  fair  idea  into  light, 
And  said  that  all  was  good  !     Wisdom,  blest  beaaa ! 
The  brightness  of  the  everlasting  light ! 
The  spotless  mirror  of  the  power  of  God  ! 
The  reflex  image  of  the  all-perfect  Mind  ! 
A  stream  translucent,  flowing  from  the  source 
Of  glory  infinite — a  cloudless  light!" 


ILecture  gfcteemf). 

PRIMEVAL  MAN. 

Job  12:12:  "  With  the  ancient  is  wisdom." 

AFTER  what  we  have  now  seen  of  the 
presentations  and  connections  of  the 
ancient  astronomy,  the  question  of  its  origin 
becomes  one  of  great  interest  and  importance. 
Who  framed  this  system  ?  Who  first  so  accu- 
rately observed  these  features  of  Nature's  celes- 
tial economies,  and  so  sublimely  wove  them  to- 
gether into  one  great  scheme,  at  once  so  true 
to  fact  and  so  full  of  prophetic  and  evangelic 
significance  ?  Whence  has  all  this  wisdom 
come  ?  Our  investigations  would  be  left  in- 
complete if  we  did  not  now  endeavor  to  gath- 
er together  what  information  exists  touching 
these  inquiries. 

Astronomy  is  unquestionably  one  of  the 
most  ancient  of  the  sciences.  Its  history  runs 
back  into  an  antiquity  so  remote  and  dim  that 
the  Greatest  0f  astronomers  are  unable  to  tell 
its  source  or  beginning.    Its  existence  is  trace- 

387 


388  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

able  in  all  known  asfes  and  amone  all  nations 
with  all  its  main  features  settled  and  fixed 
from  the  most  distant  periods.  Learned  an- 
tiquarians of  modern  times  have  searched 
every  page  of  heathen  mythology,  ransacked 
all  the  legends  of  poetry  and  fable,  traversed 
all  the  religions,  sciences,  customs,  and  tra- 
ditions of  every  nation,  tribe,  and  people,  and 
used  the  best  sources  of  historic  information 
the  earth  affords,  with  a  view  to  rescue  the 
matter  from  the  heavy  mists  hanging  over  it ; 
but  with  no  further  success  than  to  trace  it 
back  to  certain  Chaldean  shepherds  who  lived 
in  a  very  early  period  of  the  world  ;  but  every- 
thing else  concerning  it  and  them  is  left  un- 
discovered and  untold.  Had  they  first  grasp- 
ed the  real  meaning  and  intent  of  these  pri- 
meval inventions  of  astronomic  science,  or 
entertained  an  idea  of  its  true  connections, 
they  doubtless  would  have  been  able  to  reach 
much  more  definite  knowledge  on  the  subject. 

The  Facts  Stated. 
We  now  have  monumental  evidence,  in  the 
Great  Pyramid  of  Gizeh,  that  a  very  complete 
and  sublime  knowledge  of  the  structure  and 
economy  of  the  visible  universe,  inclusive  of 
a  very  exact  astronomy,  was  by  some  means 


THE  FACTS  STATED.  389 

known  to  the  great  architect  of  that  unrivalled 
edifice,  built  twenty-one  hundred  and  seventy 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  It  is  also  a 
matter  of  accredited  record  that  when  Alex- 
ander took  Babylon,  Calisthenes,  the  philos- 
opher who  accompanied  the  expedition,  found 
there  certain  astronomical  observations  made 
by  the  Chaldeans  over  nineteen  hundred  years 
before  that  time,  which  was  over  twenty-two 
hundred  years  before  our  era,  and  near  to  the 
great  dispersion  of  mankind  by  the  confusion 
of  tongues.  Cassini  refers  to  Philo  for  the 
assertion  that  "Terah,  the  father  of  Abraham, 
who  lived  more  than  a  hundred  years  with 
Noah,  had  much  studied  astronomy,  and 
taught  it  to  Abraham,"  who,  according  to 
Josephus  and  others,  taught  it  to  the  Egyp- 
tians during  his  sojourn  in  that  country.  It 
is  well  known  that  the  relieion  of  the  ancient 
Babylonians  and  contiguous  peoples,  which 
consisted  of  the  worship  of  the  heavenly 
bodies,  was  based  throughout  on  astronomy, 
astrology,  and  the  starry  configurations — so 
much  so  that  one  was  an  essential  part  of  the 
other,  and  the  two  were  really  one.  But  it 
is  now  demonstrated,  from  the  recovered  re- 
mains of  these  ancient  peoples,  that  the  Chal- 
dean religion  and  mythology  were  already 
33* 


39°  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

wrought  out  in  a  complete  and  finished  sys- 
tem as  early  as  two  thousand  years  before 
the  beginning  of  our  era,  so  that  a  settled 
astronomical  science  must  necessarily  have 
existed  a  considerable  period  prior  to  that 
date. 

The  book  of  Job,  so  far  as  we  can  ascer- 
tain, is  the  oldest  book  now  in  the  world  ;  and 
it  is  a  book  which,  more  than  all  other  books 
of  Holy  Scripture,  abounds  in  astronomical 
allusions.  Distinct  and  unmistakable  refer- 
ences are  contained  in  it  to  the  constellations 
as  we  still  have  them.  We  there  read  of 
"  Arcturus  with  his  sons,"  "  the  sweet  influ- 
ences of  Pleiades"  "  the  bands  of  Orion"  and 
"  the  fleeing  Serpent."  We  there  likewise  read 
of  "  Mazzaroth"  with  its  "  seasons  " — stations, 
stopping-places — which,  according  to  the  mar- 
gin of  our  English  Bible,  the  Jewish  Targum, 
and  the  ablest  Christian  interpreters,  is  nothing 
more  nor  less  than  the  Solar  Zodiac.  Astron- 
omy, even  as  we  now  have  it,  was  therefore 
established  and  well  understood  in  Job's  day. 
Nay,  from  the  various  astronomical  references 
in  the  book  different  astronomers  claim  to  be 
able  to  calculate  the  time  in  which  Job  lived, 
which  they  give  as  from  b.  c.  2100-2200.  (See 
Miracle  in  Stone,  pp.  203-206.) 


THE  FACTS  STATED.  39 l 

On  the  faith  of  the  Thebaic  astronomers 
Ptolemy  records  an  observation  of  the  heliacal 
rising  of  Sirius  on  the  fourth  day  after  the 
summer  solstice  twenty-two  hundred  and  fifty 
years  before  Christ,  which  could  not  have  been 
made  if  there  had  not  been  among  men  a  high 
degree  of  astronomical  knowledge  preceding 
that  date. 

Dr.  Seyffarth  claims  it  as  solid  truth  that  in 
the  distribution  of  the  letters  in  the  primitive 
alphabet,  which  was  essentially  the  same  in 
all  nations,  there  is  a  record  of  the  celestial 
presentations  which  can  occur  but  once  in 
millions  of  years,  and  which  designates  the 
year,  month,  and  day  when  Noah  came  out 
of  the  ark.  Our  astronomy  must  therefore 
have  existed  in  and  before  Noah's  time. 

From  internal  evidences  in  the  particular 
framework  and  order  of  the  Solar  and  Lunar 
Zodiacs,  Bailly  was  thoroughly  convinced  of  a 
state  of  the  heavens  at  the  time  these  Zodiacs 
were  formed  which  can  occur  only  at  intervals 
of  more  than  twenty-five  thousand  years,  but 
which  really  did  exist  in  and  about  four  thou- 
sand years  before  the  Christian  era.  Nouet, 
on  similar  grounds,  came  to  the  same  conclu- 
sion. (See  also  Miracle  in  Stone,  pp.  140  seq.) 
On  the  basis  of  astronomy's  own  records, 


392  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

apart  from  all  other  testimony,  we  are  thus 
inevitably  carried  back  to  a  period  within 
the  lifetime  of  Adam  and  his  sons  for  the 
original  of  the  Zodiac,  and,  with  it,  of  the 
whole  system  of  our  astronomy. 

The  Traditions. 

And  to  this  agree  the  ancient  sayings  and 
worthiest  traditions  of  the  race.  The  best 
philosophers,  the  most  honored  poets,  and 
the  historians  who  have  penetrated  the  deep- 
est into  the  beginnings  of  humanity  unite  in 
commencing  man  with  God  and  in  close  and 
happy  fellowship  and  communion  with  the 
Divine  Intelligence.  Everywhere  throughout 
the  world  of  primitive  nations  the  first  of 
men  were  the  greatest  of  men,  the  wisest, 
the  divinest,  and  the  most  worshipped  ;  and 
the  first  aee  was  the  Golden  A^e. 

Plato  says  :  "  Our  first  parent  was  the  great- 
est philosopher  that  ever  existed."  Baleus 
says  :  "  From  Adam  all  good  arts  and  human 
wisdom  flowed,  as  from  their  fountain.  He 
was  the  first  that  discovered  the  motions  of  the 
celestial  bodies,  and  all  other  creatures.  From 
his  school  proceeded  whatever  good  arts  and 
wisdom  were  afterward  propagated  by  our 
fathers  unto  mankind  ;  so  that  whatever  as- 


THE    TRADITIONS.  393 

tronomy,  geometry,  and  other  arts  contain  in 
them,  he  knew  the  whole  thereof."  Kecker- 
man  doubts  not  that  "  our  first  parents  deliv- 
ered over  to  their  posterity,  together  with 
other  sciences,  even  logic  also  ;  specially  see- 
ing they  who  were  nearest  the  origin  of  all 
things  had  an  intellect  so  much  the  more  ex- 
cellent  than  ours  by  how  much  the  more  they 
excelled  us  in  length  of  life,  firmitude  of 
health,  and  in  air  and  food." 

We  learn  from  Medhurst  that  "  in  the  early 
Chinese  histories  the  first  man,  named  Pwan- 
rooy  is  said  to  have  been  produced  soon  after 
the  period  of  emptiness  and  confusion,  and 
that  he  knew  intuitively  the  relative  propor- 
tions of  heaven  and  earth,  with  the  principles 
of  creation  and  transmutation."  The  Ven- 
didad  of  the  Parsis  affirms  that  God  con- 
versed with  Yima,  the  great  shepherd,  the 
first  man,  and  taught  him  all  the  law  of  Na- 
ture and  religion.  Moreri  gives  it  as  the 
settled  tradition  that  "  Adam  had  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  sciences,  and  chiefly  of  what 
related  to  the  stars,  which  he  taught  his  chil- 
dren." 

The  Jews  hold  it  among  their  traditions  that 
Adam  wrote  a  book  concerning  the  creation 
of    the    world,    and    another    on    the    Deity. 


394  THE   GOSPEL    IN  THE   STARS. 

Kissaeus,  an  Arabian  writer,  gives  it  as  among 
the  teachings  of  his  people  that  Abraham  had 
in  his  possession  certain  sacred  writings  of 
Adam,  Seth,  and  Enoch,  in  which  were  "  laws 
and  promises,  threatenings  from  God,  and 
predictions  of  many  events  ;"  and  it  is  af- 
firmed of  Abraham  that  he  taught  astron- 
omy to  the  Egyptian  priests  at  Heliopolis. 

From  the  ancient  fragments  of  Berosus, 
Polyhistor,  and  Sanchoniathon,  as  well  as 
from  the  lately-recovered  Assyrian  tablets, 
we  learn  of  the  existence  of  sacred  records 
which  had  descended  from  knowing  men  of 
the  earliest  times,  who  taught  the  world  all 
the  wisdom  it  had,  and  on  whose  instructions 
and  institutes  none  were  able  to  improve,  but 
from  which  there  was  a  constant  tendency  to 
apostatize. 

The  ancient  Egyptians  called  all  their  kings 
Pharaoh,  the  Sim,  but  their  traditions  make 
Menes,  the  first  of  their  kings,  the  greatest 
sun,  from  whom  all  wisdom  and  illumination 
came  to  them.  And  Menes  was  a  very  near 
descendant  of  Noah,  through  whom  the  pri- 
meval wisdom  was  brought  over  from  beyond 
the  Flood,  and  hence  from  the  first  fathers  of 
the  race. 

From  Adam  sprang  Seth,  who,  according 


THE    TRADITIONS.  395 

to  Josephus  and  more  ancient  records,  fol- 
lowed his  father  in  the  pursuit  of  wisdom,  as 
did  also  his  own  descendants.  It  is  said  in 
so  many  words  that  "  they  were  the  inventors 
of  that  peculiar  sort  of  wisdom  which  is  con- 
cerned with  the  heavenly  bodies  and  their 
nddr]  xal  au/mzcofiarr/ — condition  and  indications!' 
Hornius  says  :  "  The  first  mention  of  letters 
falls  upon  Seth's  times  ;  who,  being  mindful 
of  his  father's  prophecy  foretelling  the  uni- 
versal dissolution  of  things,  the  one  by  the 
Deluge,  and  the  other  by  fire,  being  not  un- 
willing to  extinguish  his  famous  inventions 
concerning  the  stars,  he  thought  of  some 
monument  to  which  he  might  concredit  these 
mysteries." 

Enoch  is  also  specially  credited  with  spe- 
cial wisdom  and  writing,  particularly  as  relat- 
ing to  astronomy  and  prophecy.  Bochart 
writes :  "  I  cannot  but  add  what  is  found  con- 
cerning the  same  Enoch  in  Eusebius,  out  of 
Eupolemus,  of  the  Jews.  He  says  that  Abra- 
ham, when  he  taught  astrology  [astronomy] 
and  other  sciences  at  Heliopolis,  affirmed 
that  the  Babylonians  attributed  the  invention 
of  the  same  to  Enoch ;  and  that  the  Grecians 
attribute  the  invention  to  Atlas,  the  same 
with    Enoch."      Macinus,    Abulfaragius,    and 


3S)6  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

other  Arab  writers  say  that  Enoch  was  called 
Edris,  the  sage,  the  illustrious,  and  that  he 
was  skilled  in  astronomy  and  other  sciences. 
Baleus  tells  us  that  he  was  famous  for  proph- 
ecy, and  is  reported  as  having  written  books 
on  divine  matters.  The  Jews  call  him  the 
Great  Scribe,  and  say  that  he  wrote  books 
on  sacred  wisdom,  especially  on  astronomy. 
That  he  did  record  certain  prophecies  is  at- 
tested by  the  Epistle  of  Jude,  which  gives  a 
quotation  from  him.  Origen  also  tells  us 
that  it  was  asserted  in  the  book  of  Enoch 
that  in  the  time  of  that  patriarch  the  con- 
stellations were  already  named  and  divided. 
Arab  and  Egyptian  authors  make  him  the 
same  as  the  older  Hermes — Hermes  Tris- 
megistus,  the  triply-great  Shepherd — through 
whom  the  wisdom  of  the  stars  and  other  sci- 
ences were  handed  down  to  his  posterity. 

It  was  the  remark  of  Gale  on  these  and 
such-like  traditions  and  fragments  :  "  We  need 
no  way  doubt  but  that  Noah  had  been  fully 
instructed  by  Church-tradition  from  his  godly 
predecessors,  Methuselah,  Enoch,  and  Seth, 
touching  the  creation  of  the  world  by  God, 
and  particularly  touching  the  excellent  fabric 
of  the  heavens,  the  nature  of  those  celestial 
bodies,  their  harmonious  motion  and  order — 


THE    TRADITIONS.  '  397 

that  these  celestial  had  a  mighty  influence  on 
all  sublunary  bodies,  etc.  These  and  such 
like  considerations,  which  greatly  conduced 
to  the  enhancing  of  the  wisdom,  power,  and 
goodness  of  God,  we  may  not  doubt  were 
very  frequent  in  the  mouths  of  those  sons 
of  God  before  and  after  the  Flood.  And  it 
is  the  opinion  of  some  that  the  whole  story  of 
the  creation  written  by  Moses  was  conveyed 
down  even  from  Adam  to  his  time  by  a  con- 
stant, uninterrupted  tradition  to  the  holy  seed 
and  Church  in  all  ages." 

Euorubinus,  treating:  of  the  succession  of 
doctrine  from  the  world's  beginning,  says : 
"  As  there  is  one  Principle  of  things,  so  also 
there  has  been  one  and  the  same  science  of 
Him  at  all  times  amongst  all,  as  both  reason 
and  monuments  of  many  nations  and  letters 
testify.  This  science,  springing  partly  from 
the  first  origin  of  men,  has  been  devolved 
through  all  ages  unto  posterity.  The  most 
true  supputation  of  times  proves  that  Methu- 
selah lived  and  might  converse  with  Adam,  as 
Noah  with  Methuselah.  Therefore  Noah  saw 
and  heard  things  before  the  Flood.  More- 
over,  before  Noah  died  Abraham  was  fifty 
years  old.  Neither  may  we  conceive  that  this 
most  pious  man  and  his  holy  seed  would  con- 

34 


398  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ceal  things  of  so  great  moment  and  so  worthy 
to  be  known  and  remembered.  Therefore 
from  this  most  true  cause  it  is  most  equal  that 
the  great  science  of  divine  and  human  affairs 
should  be  deduced  unto  following  ages,  though 
greatly  overcome  by  barbarism,  etc.  .  .  . 
Therefore,  that  there  has  been  one  ana!  the 
same  wisdom  always  in  all  men  we  endeavor 
to  persuade,  not  only  by  these  reasons,  but 
also  by  those  many  and  great  examples 
whereby  we  behold  some  vestiges  of  the 
truth  scattered  throughout  all  nations.  Abra- 
ham  was  a  Chaldean  in  whose  family  the  an- 
cient theology  and  the  traditions  of  the  fathers, 
whereof  he  was  heir,  remained.  All  these 
things  being  retained  by  Noah  and  his  sons 
— whence  also  flowed  the  piety  and  wisdom 
of  Job — were  seen  and  heard  by  Abraham, 
and  so  passed  unto  his  posterity "  (quoted 
by  Gale). 

Bible  Representations 
According  to  the  Scriptures,  Adam  lived 
about  seven  hundred  years  contemporaneous- 
ly with  his  son  Seth,  and  about  three  hundred 
years  contemporaneously  with  Enoch,  and  died 
only  about  one  hundred  years  before  Noah  was 
born.     All  these  were  holy  prophets.     From 


BIBLE  REPRESENTATIONS.  399 

Luke  (1  :  69,  70)  and  Acts  (3  :  21)  we  learn 
that  there  were  inspired  divine  teachers  "  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world  " — "  since  the 
world  began."  Whoever  may  be  included  in 
the  list,  Adam,  Seth,  and  Enoch  were  by  far 
the  greatest  and  the  most  illustrious  of  them. 
Adam  from  the  first  was  in  perfect  fellow- 
ship with  the  Divine  Intelligence,  and  knew 
all  things  that  came  before  him  by  an  intuitive 
divine  insight  into  their  whole  nature  and  in- 
tendon.  He  needed  no  instructors,  for  the 
light  of  God  shone  clear  and  unclouded  upon 
his  soul.  His  whole  being  was  in  most  thor- 
ough accord  with  God  and  with  the  mind  of 
God,  for  he  was  the  complete  image  of  God. 
His  wisdom  and  knowledge  were  necessarily 
higher  by  far  than  that  of  any  other  mere  man 
that  ever  lived.  Even  Peter  Bayle  agrees 
that  it  is  not  contrary  to  the  analogy  of  faith 
nor  to  probability,  and  very  proper  to  the 
narrative  in  Genesis,  to  believe  that  Adam 
came  out  of  the  hands  of  his  Creator  indued 
with  innate  science,  and  that  he  did  not  lose 
it  by  sin  ;  as  the  bad  angels  are  not  less  know- 
ing since  their  fall,  and  as  crimes  of  learned 
persons  do  not  deprive  them  of  that  knowledge 
they  enjoyed  before.  He  also  passes  it  as  de- 
termined that  the  speculative  understanding 


400  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

of  the  first  man  was  endowed  with  all  the 
philosophical  and  mathematical  knowledge  ot 
which  human  nature  is  naturally  capable. 

Gale  gives  it  as  made  out  from  the  Mosaic 
record  that  Adam  without  all  peradventure 
was  the  greatest  amongst  mere  mortals  that 
ever  the  world  possessed,  exactly  prying  into 
the  very  natures  of  things,  and  there  contem- 
plating those  glorious  ideas  and  characters  of 
created  li^ht  and  order  which  the  increated 
Light  and  Divine  Wisdom  had  impressed 
thereon ;  and  thence  he  could  immediately 
collect  and  form  the  same  into  a  complete 
system  and  body  of  philosophy,  as  also  most 
methodically  branch  forth  the  same  into  the 
particular  sciences.  Hornius  argues  that 
"Adam,  being  constituted  in  this  theatre  of 
the  universe,  was  ignorant  of  nothing  that 
pertained  to  the  mystery  of  Nature." 

It  is  also  a  matter  of  inspired  record  that 
God  gave  to  Adam  special  revelations.  Af- 
ter his  fall  Jehovah  made  known  to  him  His 
purposes  concerning  the  Serpent  and  its  seed 
and  the  woman  and  her  Seed.  The  whole 
Gospel  revelation  and  promise  was  therein 
included,  and  was  criven  to  him,  not  for  him- 
self  alone,  but  to  be  made  known  to  all  his 
posterity  as  the  great  and  only  hope  of  man. 


BIBLE    REPRESENTATIONS.  40\ 

What  Adam  knew,  Seth  would  thus  also 
know,  and  so  would  Enoch.  And  living  con- 
temporaneously together  for  more  than  two, 
three,  or  five  ordinary  lifetimes,  there  was  the 
sublimest  opportunity  for  them  to  observe, 
construct,  and  mature  just  such  a  system  as 
astronomy  presents,  inwoven  as  it  is  with  all 
the  great  facts,  features,  and  hopes  embraced 
in  the  promised  redemption  by  the  Seed  of 
the  woman.  In  fact,  it  was  the  one  great  anc[ 
only  opportunity  in  the  history  of  our  race 
for  such  an  accomplishment. 

We  know  from  Luke  and  Acts  that  every 
one  of  these  primeval  prophets  did  speak 
and  prophesy  of  the  raising  up  of  "  an  Horn 
of  salvation  for  us,"  the  corning  of  Christ  to 
suffer,  to  bring  times  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  eventually  to  work 
"  the  restitution  of  all  things."  (Compare 
Luke  i  167-79;  Acts  3:18-26;  Jude  15.) 
The  Bible  tells  us  especially  of  Enoch's  pre- 
eminent intimacy  and  life-communion  with 
God,  and  recites  certain  of  his  predictions 
which  run  on  the  precise  theme  we  have 
been   reading  from  the  constellations. 

And  what  Adam  and  his  believing  children 
did  not  know  simply  as  men,  they  would  still 
know  as  prophets,  which  they  certainly  were 
34  *  2  A 


402  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

Reasonableness  of  the  Case. 
Going  back,  then,  to  that  period  of  the 
world  to  which  we  must  needs  go  for  the 
origin  of  astronomy  and  the  first  fixing  of 
its  great  foundation-elements,  we  find  there 
the  men  duly  capacitated  for  the  work,  duly 
supplied  with  motive  and  opportunity  to  do 
it,  and  such  real  prophets  of  God  that  in  en- 
tering upon  it  from  sacred  impulse  they  would 
not  fail  of  divine  help  in  the  matter,  or  of 
preservation  from  all  mistake.  Under  God, 
they  were  the  great  founders  of  the  world, 
and  were  fully  alive  to  the  fact.  They  were 
the  great  appointed  teachers  of  the  world 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  case.  They  were 
the  first  great  prophets  of  the  world,  the 
original  recipients  of  the  revelation  of  God's 
purposes  of  redemption  through  the  prom- 
ised Seed  of  the  woman,  and  as  such  were 
under  bonds  to  make  known  the  facts,  ex- 
plain their  import,  and  use  every  means  of 
recordine  and  transmitting  to  all  men  the 
knowledge  of  them.  They  lived  nearly  a 
thousand  years,  and  so  had  ample  time  for 
observation,  study,  and  thorough  elaboration 
to  bring  the  work  to  finished  perfection  be- 
fore being   required  to  leave   it.     And   over 


REASONABLENESS  OF   THE    CASE.  403 

them  were  the  virgin  stars,  only  waiting  to 
be  named  and  grouped,  and  hung  with  the 
records  and  symbols  of  the  precious  treas- 
ures of  promise  and  prophecy  on  which  the 
world's  hopes  depended,  that  they  might  be- 
come the  everlasting  witnesses  to  men  of  the 
God-given  faith  and  hopes  which  shone  in  the 
serene  imaginations  of  these  great  grand  fa- 
thers of  all  sacred  prophets.  Nor  can  I  see 
why  a  single  shade  of  doubt  should  linger  in 
our  minds  that  these  verily  were  the  men  who 
drew  these  celestial  hieroglyphics,  named  and 
grouped  the  stars,  laid  out  the  Zodiacs  and 
their  signs,  and  made  the  heavens  a  picture- 
gallery  for  all  the  world,  the  first  and  great- 
est that  ever  was  made,  that  there  mankind 
might  gaze  and  read  the  wondrous  story  of 
the  promised  Redeemer,  the  redemption,  and 
the  redeemed. 

And  this,  and  this  only,  will  account  for  the 
sacred  reverence  in  which  all  the  ancient  peo- 
ples held  these  starry  emblems,  and  even  fell 
to  worshipping  them  and  ascribing  to  them 
all  sorts  of  divine  and  prophetic  virtues.  If 
put  there  by  inspired  prophets,  and  explained 
by  them  as  the  symbols  of  the  divinest  things 
of  God's  revelation  and  promises,  then  can 
we  understand  why  they  were  so  much  made 


404  THE   GOSPEL   IN    THE   STARS. 

of  in  the  sacred  mysteries,  why  they  were  so 
seriously  consulted  as  horoscopes,  and  why 
the  early  nations  lapsed  into  the  idolatry  of 
worshipping  them  as  gods.  They  are  of  ho- 
liest origin,  and  relate  to  the  dearest  hopes 
and  anticipations  of  man  ;  therefore  have 
they  been  so  prized  in  all  the  ages,  and  there- 
fore the  Perverter  of  all  good  set  himself  to 
turn  them  to  evil,  for  which  he  could  have 
found  neither  hold  nor  leverage  had  not  some 
great  and  commanding  sacredness  gone  be- 
fore to  seat  them  in  the  esteem  of  men. 

Claimed  to  be  from  God. 
It  was  also  the  common  and  accepted  doc- 
trine of  antiquity  that  the  constellations  were 
divine  in  origin  and  sacred  in  character.  They 
are  woven  in  with  all  the  old  ethnic  religions. 
Much  as  heathenism  has  perverted  them  to 
false  worship,  it  has  ever  held  to  the  belief 
that  they  are  from  God — manifestations  of  the 
one  supreme  and  eternal  Deity.  Even  Pluche 
agrees  that  all  heathenism  is  "  nothing  but  the 
religion  of  the  patriarchs  corrupted  by  extrav- 
agant additions,  transforming  the  signs,  or  the 
symbolic  men  and  animals,  into  so  many  gods, 
with  which  their  imagination  peopled  the 
heaven."     But  this  assumes  and  implies  that 


CLAIMED    TO   BE   FROM  GOD.  405 

these  signs  in  the  hands  of  the  patriarchs 
themselves  were  connected  with  their  relief- 
ion  ;  and  their  religion  being  divine,  so  must 
these  signs  connected  with  it  have  been. 

The  Greek  Sallustius  treats  of  the  myths 
and  the  constellations  as  undoubtedly  of  di- 
vine origin,  and  represents  the  chief  poets 
through  whom  they  came  as  prophets — per- 
sons to  whom  Deity  was  propitious,  and  who 
were  really  deoXynroi — divinely-inspired  men. 

The  Roman  Cicero  affirms  that  these  things 
were  explained  in  the  sacred  mysteries  as  part 
of  a  divine  instruction  how  to  live  in  peace 
and  die  in  hope,  and  hence  as  from  God  him- 
self. 

Maimonides  states  that  the  old  Jewish  fa- 
thers considered  and  held  these  signs  in  the 
heavens  to  be  of  divine  original. 

Josephus  and  the  Arabian  authors  give  it 
as  a  matter  of  historic  truth  that  the  primeval 
prophets  invented  these  signs. 

Gale  lays  it  down  as  quite  certain  that  "  the 
first  human  institutors  or  authors  of  philoso- 
phy we«e  indeed  divinely  illuminated  ;  so  that 
the  wis  lorn  we  find  scattered  up  and  down 
among  the  pagan  philosophers  was  but  bor- 
rowed and  derived  from  those  divine  lights 
who  we:e  enlightened  by  the  Divine  Word — 


406  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

that  Life  and  Light  of  men  which  shined  in  the 
darkness."  He  also  adds  that  "both  Alber- 
tus  and  Sixtus  Senensis  collect  that  our  Sa- 
viour was  in  some  manner  adumbrated  in  the 
Gentile  fables  and  figures,"  implying  that  they 
certainly  were  originally  from  the  Spirit  of 
prophecy. 

The  sacred  Bundahis  of  the  Parsis  gives 
an  account  of  the  formation  of  the  Solar  and 
Lunar  Zodiacs,  and  mentions  by  name  the 
twelve  signs  of  the  one,  almost  entirely  as 
we  now  have  them,  and  the  twenty-eight  di- 
visions of  the  other,  together  with  their  Zend 
names,  and  asserts  and  claims  that  both,  to- 
gether with  the  assignment  of  the  stars  to 
each,  were  the  work  of  Auharmazd,  the  Cre- 
ator, "  supreme  in  omniscience  and  goodness 
and  unrivalled  in  glory  ;"  and  says  that  such 
was  the  teaching  of  Zorathost,  the  great  tra- 
ditional prophet  of  God. 

The  same  is  asserted  and  claimed  in  the 
Chaldean  tablets  of  late  recovered  from  the 
ruins  of  ancient  Assyria  and  Babylon.  Frag- 
ments of  a  whole  library  of  books  written  on 
tiles  or  tablets  of  pottery,  now  in  the  British 
Museum,  have  been  brought  to  light,  and 
their  cuneiform  records  deciphered.  Among 
them  is  a  poetic  legend  of  Izdnbar,  supposed 


CLAIMED    TO   BE   FROM   GOD.  \0" 

to  be  the  same  as  Nimrod,  which  is  framed 
throughout  to  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac, 
proving  that  the  Zodiac  existed  and  was  most 
highly  prized  when  that  legend  was  written, 
certainly  not  less  than  two  thousand  years 
before  Christ. 

But  more  important  than  this  is  a  series  on 
the  six  days  of  the  Creation,  called  "  the  Chal- 
dean Genesis,"  almost  the  same  in  substance 
with  the  Mosaic  account,  and  certainly  dating 
beyond  two  thousand  years  before  the  Chris- 
tian era.  Smith  and  Sayce  state  concerning 
this  series  that  "  the  fifth  tablet  relates  how 
God  created  the  constellations  of  the  stars,  the 
signs  of  the  Zodiac,  the  planets  and  other 
stars,  the  moon  and  the  sun."  The  whole 
record  runs  thus : 

"  Ann  [the  supreme  and  ever-living  God] 
made  suitable  the  mansions  of  the  (seven) 
great  gods.  [The  signs  of  the  Zodiac  were 
always  considered  by  the  heathen  nations  the 
Mansions,  stations,  or  resting-places  of  the 
seven  planets,  deemed  the  great  gods.]  The 
stars  He  placed  in  them.  The  lumasi,  their 
animal  appearance  [figures],  He  fixed.  He 
arranged  the  year  according  to  the  bounds, 
the  limits  [of  the  Zodiac],  which  He  defined. 
For  each  of  the  twelve   months  three  stars, 


408  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

or  rows  of  stars  [Decans],  He  fixed.  From 
the  day  when  the  year  issues  forth  unto  the 
close  He  marked  the  mansions  [Zodiacal  sta- 
tions] of  the  wandering  stars  (planets),  to 
know  their  courses,  that  they  might  not  err 
or  deflect  at  all." 

There  can  be  no  question  of  the  reference 
in  this  extract  to  the  Zodiac,  its  twelve  signs, 
and  the  system  of  the  constellations  in  gen- 
eral,  including  their  figures.  It  answers  to 
the  declaration  in  Genesis  that  God  placed 
the  starry  lights  in  the  firmament,  and  said, 
"  Let  them  be  for  signs!'  And  the  remarkable 
point  in  the  case  is,  that  it  was  the  sacred 
opinion  and  settled  belief  of  those  who  orig 
inally  composed  what  these  tablets  record 
that  the  Zodiac,  with  its  twelve  signs,  and  the 
three  extra  rows  of  the  constellations  and  the 
pictures  designating  them,  were  all  the  work 
of  Almighty  God  himself  by  inspiration,  im- 
pulse, and  direction  of  His  Spirit.  It  is  in- 
deed nothing  more  than  we  read  out  of  Job, 
who  wrote  about  the  same  period  or  a  little 
earlier ;  but  it  is  as  if  old  Babylonia  had  risen 
up  from  its  grave  of  ages  to  corroborate  and 
attest  the  meaning  which  we  took  from  the 
patriarch  of  Uz,  where  he  gives  it  as  part  of 
Jehovah's  glory  that  "  by  His  Spirit  He  gar- 


CLAIMED    TO   BE   FROM  GOD.  409 

nished  the  heavens,"  and  that  "  His  hand 
hath  formed  the  fleeing  Serpent,"  and  hence 
all  these  celestial  emblems  (Job  26  :  13).* 

*  The  ordinary  explanations  of  the  origin  of  these  ancient  pictures 
extend  very  little  further  than  the  Zodiac ;  but  even  as  to  that  our 
men  of  science  have  nothing  to  give  save  a  few  jejune  imaginings, 
lame  and  absurd  in  themselves,  and  without  the  slightest  show  of 
fact  on  which  to  lean. 

It  is  said  that  herdsmen  used  to  take  great  delight  in  their  sheep 
and  cattle  as  they  led  them  forth  in  spring-time,  and  in  the  mating 
and  nesting  of  the  birds  as  the  summer  drew  on,  and  so  they  gave 
the  signs  of  a  Ram,  a  Bull,  and  two  entwined  youths  to  the  months 
of  March,  April,  and  May  !  Men  saw,  we  are  told,  that  toward  the 
end  of  June  the  sun  began  to  come  down  from  the  north  toward  the 
south,  which  for  some  unknown  reason  they  likened  to  a  backward 
movement,  and  so  gave  that  month  the  sign  of  the  Crab,  because  the 
crab  is  apt  to  move  backward  !  The  heat  in  July  became  fierce,  and 
then,  we  are  assured,  the  lions  used  to  come  to  the  river  to  quench 
their  thirst,  and  so  that  month  obtained  the  sign  of  the  Lion  !  Then 
in  August,  it  is  supposed,  the  people  began  to  harvest  or  to  sow 
their  fields,  and  so  they  gave  that  month  the  sign  of  a  prostrate 
young  woman  with  sprigs  of  wheat  in  one  hand  and  a  branch  in  the 
other !  In  September,  it  is  said,  they  found  the  days  and  nights  near- 
ly equal,  so  they  drew  for  that  month  the  sign  of  the  Scales,  though 
the  same  thing  in  March  had  no  sign,  and  these  equal  balances,  un- 
fortunately for  the  myth,  have  one  side  up  and  the  other  down ! 
October,  it  is  said,  was  plentiful  in  fruits,  and  many  people  got  sick, 
so  they  marked  that  month  with  the  sign  of  the  Scorpion  !  Novem- 
ber, it  is  said,  was  the  month  for  hunting,  and  so  they  marked  it 
with  the  sign  of  a  Horseman  with  bow  and  arrow.  In  December, 
we  are  told,  people  noticed  the  sun  again  ascending  toward  the 
north,  and  so  they  marked  that  month  with  the  sign  of  a  Goat,  be- 
cause goats  like  to  climb  rocks  !  January  was  found  to  be  a  wet 
and  dreary  month,  so  they  gave  it  the  sign  of  the  Waterman  !  And 
in  February  we  are  told  that  people  went  a-fishing,  and  so  that  month 
received  the  sign  of  the  two  Fishes  !  This  is  the  philosophy  of  the 
twelve  signs  as  given  in  our  books  of  science. 

But  then  how  came  these  signs  to  be  the  same  in  all  parts  of  the 
earth  in  all  the  ages  through  ?     And  how  comes  it  that  there  is  not 
35 


4io  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

The  Star- Record  Itself. 
And  the  story  which  these  astronomic  signs 
and  pictures  tell  is  in  all  respects  so  worthy 
of  a  divine  origin,  and  so  much  above  man's 
science,  that  we  may  well  consider  the  whole 
thing  divine.  It  is  precisely  the  same  that  we 
find  in  the  Word,  about  whose  divine  source 
we  have  no  question.  And  if  it  was  a  fitting 
thing  for  the  great  Lord  of  all  to  employ  His 
Spirit  to  cause  these  matters  of  salvation  to 
be  authentically  recorded  in  the  books  com- 
mitted to  His  later  peoples,  why  was  it  not 
equally    befitting    His   gracious    almightiness 

a  country  under  the  sun  where  these  interpretations  all  fit  ?  And 
how  did  men  know  to  name  these  months  or  to  place  these  figures  if 
the  sphere  had  not  been  previously  defined  and  fixed  ?  And  what 
of  the  thirty-six  remaining  constellations  and  their  equally  conspicu- 
ous figures  ?  Where  did  they  all  come  from,  and  what  do  they  mean  ? 
The  Greek  myths  on  the  subject  are  out  of  the  question  here.  These 
extra-Zodiacal  constellations  are  as  old  as  the  Zodiac  itself,  and 
everywhere,  in  the  earliest  records  as  in  the  latest,  appear  along  with 
it.  And  what  of  the  names  of  the  stars,  which,  for  the  most  part, 
are  as  old  as  the  signs,  but  tell  quite  another  story  from  anything  that 
men  have  thus  given  as  the  rationale  of  these  celestial  hieroglyphics  ? 
And  then,  again,  how  did  it  happen  that  the  people  who  thus  fanci- 
fully characterized  the  months  immediately  wheeled  about  and  began 
to  consult  as  oracles  and  to  worship  as  great  divinities  the  very  fig- 
ures which  they  had  themselves  hung  up?  Such  philosophy  will 
not  hold  together.  It  is  simply  amazing  that  learned  men  should 
have  the  face  to  put  it  forth  for  rational  acceptance.  It  is  so  purely 
fanciful,  so  feeble,  and  so  manifestly  untrue,  that  it  needed  no  Mon- 
tucla  to  demolish  it  utterly. 


THE    STAR-RECORD   ITSELF.  4 1 1 

to  do  the  same  in  the  case  of  His  primeval 
prophets,  that  all  mankind  in  all  the  ages 
might  ever  have  before  their  eyes  the  abiding 
testimony  of  His  pristine  revelations  concern- 
ing that  same  Messiah  "  of  whom  Moses  in 
the  Law  and  the  Prophets  did  write"? 

And  what  if  the  key  to  the  showings  was 
afterward  lost,  and  men  only  misread  and  per- 
verted what  was  so  sublimely  recorded  ?  The 
same  has  occurred  again  and  again  with  the 
scriptural  records  ;  and  why  should  the  apos- 
tasies in  the  one  case  argue  differently  from 
what  they  do  in  the  other  ?  The  failures  and 
sins  of  men  do  not  unmake  the  truth  of  God, 
neither  do  their  misuses  and  perversions  of 
His  gifts  disprove  their  divine  source  or  good 
intent.  The  turning  of  Israel's  calling  and 
sacred  institutes  into  a  hypocritical,  murder- 
ous, and  depraved  Pharisaism,  which  killed 
the  Son  of  God  and  slew  His  holy  Apostles, 
did  not  unmake  the  divine  legation  of  Mo- 
ses nor  the  heavenly  inspiration  of  the  holy 
prophets  who  spent  their  lives  building  Israel 
into  a  kingdom  for  the  Lord.  The  perver- 
sion of  Christianity  into  an  imperial  pope- 
dom, an  Antichrist,  and  a  tyrannous  perse- 
cution of  the  saints  of  God  by  His  own  al- 
leged vicegerent  did  not  prove  Jesus  of  Naz- 


412  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

areth  an  impostor  nor  the  testimony  of  His 
Apostles  undivine  or  untrue.  And  if  men 
in  like  manner  have  perverted  these  primeval 
records  in  the  stars,  and  turned  the  showings 
of  promised  salvation  into  an  instrument  of 
damning  superstition,  and  twisted  a  divine 
astronomy  into  a  devilish  astrology,  and  de- 
veloped a  bloody  paganism  out  of  a  primitive 
evangelism,  what  is  it  else  than  the  depravity 
of  man  and  the  trick  of  the  great  Deceiver 
belying  God,  but  by  no  means  discrediting  or 
unmaking  the  divinity,  the  mercifulness,  or 
the  gracious  ampleness  of  good  intent  in  the 
sublime  original  ? 

Volney  insists,  and  with  good  reason,  that 
everywhere  in  antiquity  there  was  a  cherish- 
ed tradition  of  an  expected  Conqueror  of  the 
Serpent,  who  was  to  come  as  a  divine  person, 
born  of  a  woman  ;  and  that  this  tradition  is 
most  clearly  reflected  in  the  constellations 
and  in  all  the  heathen  mythologies  through- 
out the  world.  Dupuis  has  collected  numer- 
ous ancient  authorities,  abundantly  proving 
that  in  all  nations  this  tradition,  with  singular 
particularity  of  details,  always  prevailed  ;  that 
this  divine  Person,  born  of  a  woman,  was  to 
be  a  great  sufferer  in  His  conflict  with  the 
Serpent,  but  would  triumph  gloriously  at  the 


THE   STAR-RECORD  ITSELF.  413 

last ;  and  that  this  tradition  is  represented 
and  recorded  in  the  constellations. 

By  a  world-wide  testimony  we  are  thus  as- 
sured that  this  is  verily  the  inwoven  mystic 
essence  of  the  primeval  astronomy,  the  same 
that  constitutes  the  essence  of  all  that  is  writ- 
ten by  inspiration  in  the  books  of  the  Bible. 

And  to  the  external  testimony  the  internal 
substance  and  conditions  correspond.  In  three 
grand  parts  or  books,  each  with  four  grand 
chapters,  and  each  chapter  divided  into  four 
distinct  sections,  is  this  record  given.  Set  out 
in  brief,  the  contents  would  run  thus  : 

BOOK   FIRST— THE   REDEEMER   PROMISED. 
Chapter  First — Virgo: 

1.  The  Seed  of  the  woman  ; 

2.  The  Desire  of  nations  ; 

3.  The   Man   of  double   nature    in    humil- 

iation ; 

4.  The  exalted  Shepherd  and  Harvester. 

Chapter  Second — Libra: 

1.  Price  to  be  paid  ; 

2.  The  Cross  endured ; 

3.  The  Victim  slain  ; 

4.  The  Crown  purchased. 

35* 


414  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

Chapter  Third — Scorpio  : 

i.  Cleft  in  the  conflict; 

2.  The  Serpent's  coils  ; 

3.  The  struggle  with  the  Enemy ; 

4.  The  toiling  Vanquisher  of  evil. 

Chapter  Fourth — Sagittarius  : 

1.  The  double-natured  One  triumphing  as 

a  Warrior ; 

2.  He  gladdens  the  heavens  ; 

3.  He  builds  the  fires  of  punishment ; 

4.  He  casts  down  the  Dragon. 

BOOK   SECOND— THE   REDEEMER'S   PEOPLE. 

Chapter  First — Capricornus  : 

1.  Life  out  of  Death  ; 

2.  The  Arrow  of  God  ; 

3.  Pierced  and  falling  ; 

4.  Springing  up  again  in  abundant  life. 

Chapter  Second — Aquarius  : 

1 .  Life-waters  from  on  high  ; 

2.  Drinking  in  the  heavenly  flood; 

3.  Carrying  and  speeding  the  Good  News  ; 

4.  Bearing   aloft   the    Cross    over   all    the 

earth. 


the  star-record  itself.  415 

Chapter  Third — Pisces: 

1.  Swimming  in  the  heavenly  waters; 

2.  Upheld  and  governed  by  the  Lamb  ; 

3.  Head  over  all  things  to  the  Church ; 

4.  The  intended  Bride  bound  and  exposed 

on  earth. 

Chapter  Fourth — Aries: 

1.  The  Lamb  entered  on  dominion; 

2.  The  Bride  released  and  making  ready; 

3.  Satan  bound  ; 


4.  The  Breaker  triumphin 


BOOK   THIRD— REDEMPTION   COMPLETED. 

Chapter  First — Taurus  : 

1.  The  invincible  Ruler  come; 

2.  The  sublime  Vanquisher  ; 

3.  The  River  of  Judgment ; 

4.  The  all-ruling  Shepherd. 

Chapter  Second — Gemini  : 

1.  The  Marriage  of  the  Lamb; 
r>.  The  Enemy  trodden  down  ; 

3.  The  Prince  coming  in  glory ; 

4.  His  princely  following. 


4l6  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

Chapter  Third — Cancer  : 

i.  The  Possession  secured; 
r.  Lesser  Fold,  the  first-born,  the  rulers; 
3.  Greater  Fold,  the  after-born  ; 
*.  The  Heroes  landed  from  their  expedi 
tion,  their  toils  and  trials  over. 

Chapter  Fourth — Leo: 

1 .  The  King  aroused  for  the  rending ; 

2.  The  Serpent  fleeing; 

3.  The  Bowl  of  Wrath  upon  him ; 

4.  His  carcass  devoured. 

Here  is  a  marked  order  and  symmetry  of 
construction,  a  thoroughness  of  digestion,  an 
assortment  of  elements,  an  evenness  of  bal- 
ance, and  an  exhaustive  comprehensiveness, 
not  excelled  by  the  highest  inspired  genius 
whose  writings  have  come  to  us — an  order 
befitting  the  God  of  order,  and  bearing  in 
itself,  in  its  three  and  fours,  the  expression 
of  eternal  Godhead  moving  and  doing  with 
reference  to  earth  and  man ;  whilst  every 
topic  in  the  twelve  and  twelve  times  three 
is  a  genuine  Gospel  topic,  handled  exactly  as 
we  find  it  in  the  writings  of  the  Prophets  and 
Apostles.     There  is  nothing  added  and  there 


INEVITABLE  INFERENCES.  417 

is  nothing  left  out.  The  whole  story  is  com- 
plete— rmore  complete  than  half  the  ministers 
in  Christendom  can  tell  it  to-day  with  the 
whole  volume  of  both  Testaments  before 
them,  and  after  all  the  prophesying  and  preach- 
ing and  fulfilling  that  has  occurred  in  the  five 
thousand  years  and  more  since  these  star-pic- 
tures were  made. 

Inevitable  Inferences. 
"  What  shall  we  say,  then,  to  these  things?" 
Was  primeval  man  a  gorilla,  a  troglodyte,  a 
brutish  savage,  a  wild  man  without  know- 
ledge ?  The  Zodiac  and  the  constellations  as 
arranged  upon  the  ancient  sphere  furnish  the 
foundations  of  all  astronomy.  No  man  since 
they  were  made  has  been  able  to  improve 
upon  them.  All  subsequent  touches  of  them 
have  been  bungles  and  absurdities.  They 
stand  to-day  securely  planted  among  the 
profoundest  stabilities  contained  in  human 
science.  And  yet  the  evidences  are  that  they 
have  come  down  to  us  from  that  selfsame 
primeval  man.  Then  primeval  man  knew 
the  visible  starry  heavens  as  well  as  any 
other  man  since.  Then  primeval  man  could 
draw  maps,  and  make  pictures,  and  write 
books,  and  teach  wisdom,  and  transmit  thought 

2  B 


41 8  THE    GOSPEL   IK   THE   STARS. 

and  intelligence,  just  as  successfully  as  the  re- 
moter progeny  sprung  from  his  blood.  Then 
the  doctrine  that  modern  man  is  a  mere  ev- 
olution from  savageism,  the  result  of  a  self- 
moved  activity  to  become,  his  makership  his 
own,  his  intelligence  a  mere  self-efflores- 
cence, is  a  lie. 

Our  particular  ancestors  of  two  thousand 
years  ago  may  have  been  but  semi-civilized, 
having  been  long  and  remotely  separated 
from  the  chief  centres  of  population  and  en- 
lightenment, and  so  it  may  have  been  in  part 
with  the  progenitors  of  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans ;  but  the  agencies  and  influences  by 
which  they  were  lifted,  and  their  descendants 
brought  to  the  heights  of  which  we  boast  too 
much,  were  not  originated  and  evolved  from 
among  themselves,  apart  from  what  they  got 
from  the  more  knowing  world  outside.  Egypt, 
Phoenicia,  Arabia,  Assyria,  Chaldea,  India,  and 
China  of  the  olden  times  never  were  savage 
or  uncivilized.  Government,  society,  law,  arts, 
and  sciences  go  back  to  the  beginnings  of 
their  history,  and  from  them  all  later  peoples 
have  learned.  As  far  as  we  have  any  traces 
of  man's  existence — and  those  traces  go  back 
as  far  as  Adam — we  have  evidences  of  en- 
lightenment as  high   and  as  true  to  Nature 


INEVITABLE  INFERENCES.  419 

and  fact  as  anything  we  know,  and  which  is 
to  this  day  the  very  backbone  of  much  of  the 
world's  best  and  highest  wisdom.  The  weight 
of  the  showing  is,  that  primeval  man  was  the 
truest  model  and  representative  of  man,  and 
that  all  human  progress  since,  though  upward 
in  some  things,  has  been  in  the  main  an  un- 
ceasing deterioration. 

All  the  world  that  came  next  after  primeval 
man  honored,  and  even  worshipped,  their  first 
fathers  as  very  gods  of  light,  knowledge,  and 
greatness.  They  pushed  their  veneration  to 
a  base  idolatry  indeed,  but  there  was  reason 
and  deserved  gratitude  at  the  bottom  of  it. 
The  world  now-a-days  regards  such  reverence 
as  a  weakness  and  a  fault,  and  has  swung  off 
into  a  far  meaner  and  baser  idolatry  of  self, 
glorying  in  its  earth-born  gaslight  as  the 
superlative  illumination,  and  floundering  like 
the  dazed  moth  around  the  flickering  smoke- 
flame,  as  if  the  sun  in  the  heavens  were  not 
half  so  bright  and  beautiful.  Could  Adam 
and  Seth  and  Enoch  and  Noah  appear  among 
us,  and  take  an  inventory  of  our  prevailing 
philosophies,  the  ways  in  which  modern  think- 
ing practically  runs,  and  the  atheistic  stuff 
which  many  would  baptize  with  the  name  of 
wisdom,  how  would  those  venerable  patriarchs 


420  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

sigh  and  lament  and  sicken  over  the  degen- 
eration of  their  posterity  !  What  if  we  have 
found  out  that  a  wire  magnetized  at  one  end 
is  instantly  magnetized  at  the  other  end  also  ? 
What  if  we  have  discovered  that  there  is 
power  in  boiling  water  to  push  against  con- 
finement, and  so  to  drive  pistons  and  turn 
wheels  ?  What  if  we  have  made  up  short- 
hand ways  of  putting  lettering  on  paper  and 
of  multiplying  impressions  like  autumn  leaves  ? 
What  if  we  have  succeeded  in  making  war- 
guns  and  implements  of  death  such  as  they 
never  saw  and  never  wished  to  see  ?  From 
the  high  standpoint  of  those  primeval  sages 
Noah  would  have  to  write  again :  "  Behold, 
the  earth  is  corrupt,  for  all  flesh  hath  corrupt- 
ed its  ways."  Intenser  than  ever  would  Enoch 
fulmine  his  ancient  commination :  "  Behold, 
the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  His 
saints  to  execute  judgment  upon  this  convict 
population,  full  of  ungodly  deeds  and  ungodly 
speeches,  traducing  the  things  which  it  knows 
not,  and  following  only  what  it  knows  natural- 
ly as  brute  beasts."  Whilst  Adam's  thoughts 
would  needs  turn  inward  with  all  the  deeper 
self-reproach  for  having  with  open  eyes  start- 
ed the  spring  whence  has  come  all  this  earthi- 
ness  and  apostasy. 


INEVITABLE  INFERENCES.  42 1 

"  What  shall  we  say,  then,  to  these  things  ?" 
God  certainly  did  not  make  man  without  at 
the  same  time  beaming-  into  him  all  the  light 
and  intelligence  to  equip  him  fully  for  all  the 
requirements  of  the  highest  perfection  of  his 
being  in  his  sphere,  and  for  the  intellectual  and 
physical  mastery  of  the  whole  earthly  creation 
at  the  head  of  which  he  stood.  That  first  man 
fell,  but  that  fall  did  not  obliterate  from  his 
intellect  the  knowledge  which  his  Maker  had 
previously  shined  into  it.  An  apostate  from 
Christianity  does  not  thereby  lose  the  know- 
ledge he  possessed.  Judgment  came  upon 
Adam,  and  hard  necessities,  by  reason  of  his 
transgression,  but  there  was  no  obliteration 
of  his  intellectual  treasures  or  his  intellectual 
powers.  Much  as  they  have  depreciated  in 
transmission  to  his  posterity,  they  were  not 
blotted  out  of  Adam  himself.  Neither  did 
God  cease  to  speak  to  him,  or  refuse  to  open 
up  to  him  new  and  richer  fields  of  wisdom  to 
meet  his  condition  as  a  sinner.  Fallen  Adam 
was  still  capable  of  redemption,  and  that  re- 
demption God  meant  to  accomplish  in  the 
course  of  the  ongoing  ages  and  generations 
of  the  race.  To  save  Adam  it  was  necessary 
that  Adam  should  know  of  it,  and  to  save  his 
posterity  it  was  necessary  that  the  same  know- 


422  THE   GOSPEL   IN    THE   STARS. 

ledge  should  be  transmitted  to  them  also. 
And  as  from  him  human  life  was  multiplied, 
so  to  him  it  pertained  as  the  great  father  to 
teach  and  transmit  his  sacred  and  saving  wis- 
dom  with  the  multiplication  of  himself.  In 
the  nature  and  necessities  of  the  case  he 
was  God's  prophet  to  those  born  of  him.  Of 
all  knowledge,  the  knowledge  of  the  promised 
Redeemer  was  the  most  important  and  essen- 
tial. Therefore  God  would  not  leave  him  in 
any  ignorance  as  to  that  promised  Redeemer, 
the  nature  of  His  work,  and  the  results  of  His 
administrations.  The  whole  Gospel,  or  none, 
he  needed  to  know.  The  whole  Gospel,  if 
any,  he  would  be  most  anxious  to  comprehend. 
The  whole  Gospel,  as  he  got  it  from  God  and 
hoped  and  rejoiced  in  it  himself,  he  would  be 
most  concerned  to  teach  to  his  children  and 
to  have  securely  recorded  for  all  coming  gen- 
erations. Such  devout  and  active  fidelity  was 
his  interest  and  duty  as  a  man  and  a  prophet, 
and  what  God,  according  to  all  His  word  and 
promises,  would  certainly  approve  and  bless 
and  help.  It  would  be  in  the  line  and  spirit 
of  all  His  subsequent  inspirations  vouchsafed 
to  men  that  He  should  do  for  Adam  in  such 
a  case  even  more  than  He  did  for  Moses  and 
Samuel  and  Isaiah  and  Daniel.     And  here,  in 


INEVITABLE  INFERENCES.  423 

the  records  and  emblems  of  the  stars,  demon- 
strably dating  back  to  Adam's  time,  and  link- 
ed in  with  a  true  and  admirable  astronomy,  we 
have  what  in  every  particular  best  resolves 
itself  into  a  pictorial  memorial  of  that  prom- 
ised Redeemer's  character  and  achievements 
as  then  looked  for  and  believed  in.  The 
things  thus  symbolized  could  never  have 
become  known  from  natural  reason,  neither 
could  unaided  man  ever  have  made  for  them 
so  perfect  and  sublime  a  record  even  after 
they  were  known.  Then  certainly  God's 
hand  was  in  it.  Then  divine  revelation  is  a 
demonstrated  reality.  Then  inspiration  is  an 
indestructible  fact.  And  then  these  glorious 
stars  take  on  the  holier  brightness  as  the 
sublime  underwriters  of  our  Scriptures,  and 
as  God's  witnesses  from  beyond  the  gulf  of 
aees  to  assure  us  there  is  no  mistake  in  build- 
ing  on  Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  our  hope  and  our 
salvation.  Well,  then,  might  Zacharias  sing: 
"  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  ;  for 
He  hath  visited  and  redeemed  His  people, 
and  hath  raised  up  an  Horn  of  salvation  for 
us  in  the  house  of  His  servant  David ;  as  He 
spake  by  the  mouth  of  His  holy  prophets,  which 
have  been  since  the  world  began  /"  Luke  i  : 
68-70. 


Hecture  jjebenteattl). 

THE  STAR    OF  BETHLEHEM. 

Matt.  2:2:  "  We  have  seen  His  star  in  the  east,  and  are  come  to 
worship  Him." 

A  LEARNED  Christian  antiquarian  has 
expressed  his  belief  "  that  far  more 
conclusive  proofs  of  the  promise  of  a  Re- 
deemer can  be  found  in  the  primeval  tradi- 
tions of  our  race  than  even  in  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures."  He  may'perhaps  have  expressed 
himself  a  little  too  strongly,  for  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, rightly  read,  is  very  full  of  the  Mes- 
sianic hope.  But  it  is  a  great  mistake  to 
consign  to  the  Evil  One  the  whole  human 
family  outside  of  Judaism  prior  to  the  time 
of  Christ,  and  thus  to  brand  almost  the  en- 
tire race  with  the  mark  of  Cain.  It  may 
have  the  guise  of  orthodoxy,  but  it  lacks  the 
element  of  truth.  The  case  which  comes 
before  us  in  connection  with  the  text  effect- 
ually confutes  it. 

It  must  also  go  very  far  toward  establish- 
ing  the    doctrines   which    I   have    been   pro- 

424 


THE   VISIT  OF  THE   MAGI.  425 

pounding  respecting  the  source  and  intent 
of  the  primeval  astronomy  to  be  able  to  find 
a  case  so  clear  and  well  authenticated  in 
which  the  study  and  observation  of  the  stars, 
in  connection  with  the  primitive  traditions, 
have  served  to  fix  in  Gentile  minds  a  living 
belief  in  a  Virgin-born  Redeemer — a  know- 
ledge so  complete  as  to  embrace  the  time 
and  place  of  His  advent  and  to  bring  them 
in  humble  adoration  around  His  infant  cradle. 
Nor  can  we  do  better,  in  bringing  these  stud- 
ies to  a  close,  than  by  devoting  a  final  Lecture 
to  the  consideration  of  this  case. 

The  Visit  of  the  Magi. 
For  a  thousand  years  and  more  Christen- 
dom has  been  inquiring  and  wondering,  Who 
were  "  the  wise  men  from  the  East"  that  came 
to  Jerusalem  asking  about  a  new-born  Jewish 
Prince  ?  How  came  they  to  know  about  Him  ? 
What  were  those  starry  indications  to  which 
they  referred  as  having  induced  them  to  make 
such  costly  and  laborious  search  for  Him  ? 
What  were  the  sources  of  illumination  by 
which  they  were  thus  brought  to  honor  and 
worship  Him  in  His  lowly  infant  couch  ?  For 
fourteen  hundred  years  and  more  the  Church 
has  been  observing  a  festival  in  commemora- 

36* 


426  THE   GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

tion  of  their  visit,  and  made  it  the  initiation 
of  a  season  of  her  calendar  scarcely  inferior 
in  prominence  to  the  greatest  of  her  sacred 
festivals  and  seasons.  All  Christian  litera- 
ture from  the  earliest  centuries  is  full  of  com- 
ments and  homilies  and  songs  and  liturgical 
prescriptions  relating  to  the  same.  The  first 
book  of  the  New  Testament  places  it  close 
to  the  beginning  of  its  account  of  the  Sa- 
viour as  a  special  testimony  to  His  dignity 
as  the  King  of  the  Jews  and  His  worship- 
fulness  as  the  Son  of  God.  The  apocryphal 
Gospels  of  the  Infancy  set  it  forth  with  great 
zest  and  circumstantiality  as  one  of  the  di- 
vinest  gems  in  the  testimonies  to  the  glory 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  And  neither  in  ser- 
mon nor  in  song  is  there  any  one  thing,  save 
and  except  the  Cross  and  the  Resurrection, 
which  is  more  joyously  contemplated  than 
this  so-called  "  Star  of  Bethlehem." 

Diverse  Opinions. 
But  when  it  comes  to  the  explanation  of 
particulars,  Christians  have  not  been  so  clear 
nor  so  well  agreed  as  we  would  expect  in  a 
matter  of  so  much  prominence  and  interest. 
The  diversities  of  opinion  are  almost  endless, 
and  the  Christian  world  as  yet  has  not  settled 


DIVERSE    OPINIONS.  427 

itself  down  upon  any  one  theory  as  certainly 
the  truth  or  of  sufficient  clearness  to  be  free 
from  serious  difficulties  and  objections  on  the 
one  hand  or  the  other. 

As  to  the  starry  leading  spoken  of,  some 
think  it  was  a  meteor  or  a  comet.  Others 
think  it  was  the  bright  light  which  shone 
upon  the  shepherds  when  the  angel  made 
known  to  them  Christ's  birth,  assuming  that 
to  men  afar  off  that  remarkable  light  may 
have  been  mistaken  for  a  star.  Some  think 
it  was  some  unidentified  supernatural  light 
in  the  sky  which  appeared  to  certain  devout 
men  in  some  remote  region,  and  which  they 
could  no  better  describe  than  to  liken  it  to  a 
star.  Some  think  it  was  a  true  star  among  the 
stars,  brought  into  being,  or  at  least  brought 
into  view,  for  the  particular  purpose  of  giving 
token  of  the  Saviour's  nativity,  and  then  made 
to  disappear,  never  more  to  be  seen.  Some 
think  there  was  no  real  external  manifesta- 
tion at  all,  that  no  star  was  ever  seen  by  any 
one,  and  that  the  whole  thing  was  only  a  vis- 
ion vouchsafed  to  these  men  alone. 

Of  later  years  it  is  more  generally  sup- 
posed to  have  been  a  conjunction  of  the 
planets  Jupiter  and  Saturn,  such  as  did  act- 
ually occur  about  that  time,  and  which  may 


428  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

have  entered  somewhat  into  the  case,  al- 
though the  conjunctions  referred  to  were  not 
close  enough  to  create  the  appearance  of  a 
single  star,  and  were  not  in  any  respect  what 
could  with  propriety  be  called  Christ's  Star. 
Admitting  all  that  Jewish  rabbis  as  well  as 
the  Gentile  astrologists  and  prognosticators 
have  claimed  for  such  conjunctions,  there  still 
would  be  a  great  lack  to  account  adequately 
for  the  very  definite  and  powerful  convictions 
respecting  Christ's  birth  which  these  men 
showed,  and  for  their  reference  to  an  indi- 
vidual star,  which  they  described  as  the  star 
of  the  .new-born  Prince  they  were  seeking. 
True,  Tacitus,  Suetonius,  Josephus,  and  others 
testify  that  there  was  at  that  time  a  widespread 
expectation  of  some  great  and  triumphing 
Prince  to  arise  in  the  East ;  but  said  expec- 
tation was  so  indefinite,  and  was  actually  ap- 
plied in  directions  so  unaccordant  with  the 
true  Messiah  and  His  predicted  character, 
that  it  cannot  be  taken  as  at  all  up  to  what 
was  in  the  mind  of  these  Magi  and  implied 
in  their  inquiry.  They  expected  to  find  a  di- 
vine and  worshipful  being,  by  birth  a  Jewish 
Prince,  and  by  character  and  right  entitled  to 
the  homage  of  all  the  children  of  men.  They 
had  no  question  or  doubt   upon   the  subject. 


DIVERSE    OPINIONS.  429 

They  knew  that  a  great  and  wonderful  per- 
sonage was  born.  They  knew  and  believed 
that  He  was  worthy  of  the  sacred  worship  of 
all  men,  and  that  it  was  their  holiest  interest 
and  duty  to  come  and  greet  Him  with  their 
best  gifts,  acknowledgments,  and  adoration. 
This  was  more  than  the  prevailing  expecta- 
tion anywhere  showed. 

Whence,  then,  came  this  clear  and  definite 
knowledge  on  the  subject,  exceeding  even 
that  of  the  sacred  scribes  and  priests  of  Ju- 
dea  itself,  with  all  the  records  and  foreshow- 
ings  of  Moses  and  the  prophets  before  them  ? 
The  prophecy  of  Balaam  touching  the  Star 
that  was  to  arise  out  of  Jacob  may  have  had 
some  remote  connection  with  it,  but  it  will 
scarcely  begin  to  account  for  the  clear,  un- 
doubting,  and  living  faith  touching  the  new- 
born Saviour  which  glowed  in  the  hearts  of 
these  wise  men.  Prophecies  of  Daniel  and 
influences  of  the  Jewish  teachings  in  general 
may  also  have  floated  down  among  these 
people  from  the  great  Captivity  times  ;  but, 
at  the  best,  it  would  still  not  account  for  what 
we  see  exhibited  in  these  Magi.  A  special 
revelation  to  them  alone,  without  any  further 
record  of  it  on  earth,  would  be  so  unlike  what 
we  know  of  God's  methods  and  purposes  in 


43°  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

the   giving   of  His   revelations  that  it   is  un- 
warranted to  suppose  it. 

How,  then,  did  these  Magi  come  to  know 
so  much  about  Christ  as  an  adorable  Kine 
and  Saviour?  How  came  they  to  such  full 
conviction  that  His  birth  had  occurred  in  Ju- 
dea  ?  The  true  answer  is  :  By  the  signs  and 
constellations  of  the  primeval  astronomy,  and  the 
legends  connected  with  them,  interpreted  as  we 
have  been  contemplating  them  in  these  Lectures. 

Astronomic  Facts. 

It  is  an  astronomic  fact,  independent  of  all 
hypotheses,  that  at  the  precise  hour  of  mid- 
night, at  the  winter  solstice,  or  the  last  week 
of  December,  in  the  period  in  which  Christ 
was  born,  the  sign  of  Virgo,  everywhere  and 
always  regarded  as  the  sign  of  the  virgin- 
mother  from  whom  the  divine-human  Re- 
deemer-King was  to  be  born,  was  just  rising 
on  the  eastern  horizon. 

It  is  a  further  astronomical  fact,  independent 
of  all  hypotheses,  that  at  the  spring  equinox 
of  the  same  period,  just  nine  months  earlier, 
this  sign  of  the  Virgin  at  midnight  was  on  the 
meridian,  with  the  line  running  precisely  across 
her  bosom. 

It    is    a    further   independent  astronomical 


A    PRIMEVAL    TRADITION.  43 l 

fact  that  at  the  same  date,  at  midnight,  the 
stars  of  the  little  constellation  of  Coma,  the 
special  sign  of  the  infant  Seed  of  the  woman, 
the  Desire  of  nations,  was  likewise,  along  with 
the  Virgin,  directly  on  the  meridian. 

Now,  if  our  interpretation  of  these  ancient 
astronomical  signs  be  the  true  one,  we  have 
here  some  remarkable  indications  in  which 
the  facts  and  the  signs  singularly  coincide. 
Taken  by  themselves,  they  might  not  mean 
much ;  but  if  other  particulars,  to  be  named, 
duly  fill  out  the  picture,  they  would  help  to 
fix  the  heavenly  tokens  that  the  time  had  in 
very  truth  come  in  which  the  great  Virgin- 
born  Deliverer  was  to  appear.  They  are  im- 
portant factors  in  the  case. 

A  Primeval  Tradition. 
It  is  also  a  matter  of  record,  among  both 
Gentile  and  Jewish  peoples,  that  the  patriarch 
Seth,  in  whose  day  these  heavenly  signs  were 
arranged  and  completed,  gave  out  a  prophecy 
in  connection  with  them,  that  in  the  period  in 
which  the  great  promised  One  should  be  born 
there  would  appear  a  very  bright  star  in  the 
heavens.  This  was  perhaps  the  very  proph- 
ecy traditional  among  the  ancient  Magi  and 
Parsis.   that    there    should  come    a    heavenly 


432  THE    GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

Child  to  command  the  homage  and  obedience 
of  mankind,  the  sign  of  whose  birth  would  be 
the  appearance  of  a  new  and  peculiar  star  in 
the  sign  of  Virgo.  Likewise,  the  Jews  also 
have  always  held  and  taught  that  Messiah' s 
advent  would  be  heralded  by  a  new  and  pecu- 
liar star.  Hence  the  great  impostor  who  gave 
himself  out  as  their  Messiah  called  himself 
Barcokheba,  "  the  Son  of  the  Star." 

A  New  Star. 
Now,  it  is  a  matter  of  record  that  a  new 
and  peculiar  star  did  make  its  appearance  in 
the  first  Decan  of  Virgo  in  the  period  imme- 
diately preceding  Christ's  birth,  and  that  it 
was  so  bright  as  to  be  visible  even  in  the  day- 
time. Ignatius  says  it  "  sparkled  brilliantly 
above  all  stars."  The  same  continued  in 
the  sky  during  the  whole  period  of  Christ's 
lifetime,  and  for  a  time  thereafter.  Hip- 
parchus,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years  before  Christ,  observed  it  as  a  new  star, 
and  was  led  by  it  to  draw  up  his  catalogue  of 
the  stars.  Ptolemy,  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  after  Christ,  refers  to  it  as  having 
been  observed  by  Hipparchus,  but  as  having 
become  so  faint  as  hardly  to  be  any  longer 
distinguishable.     The    Chinese    records    also 


A   NEW  STAR.  433 

make  mention  of  this  new  bright  star  at  a 
time  corresponding  to  the  period  of  our  Sa- 
viour's birth.  Since  the  time  of  Ptolemy  we 
have  no  record  of  any  observation  of  it.  This 
star  was  in  Coma,  the  sign  of  the  Infant  ac- 
companying Virgo,  and  it  marked  the  very 
head  of  that  Infant.  It  was  on  the  meridian 
at  midnight  at  the  spring  equinox,  just  nine 
months  before  Christ  was  born,  as  again 
three  months  thereafter.  Its  brightness  would 
necessarily  arrest  the  attention  of  observers 
of  the  heavens,  and  awaken  special  interest 
in  Coma  and  the  Virgin-born  Infant  which  that 
constellation  signified  both  in  figure  and  name. 
Believers  in  the  sacred  meaning  of  these  signs, 
especially  in  connection  with  the  traditional 
prophecy  of  the  new  star,  which  seems  also 
to  have  been  in  Balaam's  mind,  could  not 
help  but  be  convinced  from  these  showings 
that  the  coming  of  the  Desired  One  was  sure- 
ly approaching.  It  was  a  sort  of  midnight  cry, 
"Behold,  He  cometh!"  The  star  itself  would 
thus  also  be  just  what  these  Magi  called  the 
star  by  which  they  were  led — namely,  Christ's 
Star,  emphatically  "  His  star ;"  for  it  was  a 
star  of  His  particular  constellation  as  the  De- 
sire of  nations,  and  the  peculiar  star  of  His 
infancy,  as  it  marked  the  Infant's  head,  and 

37  2  C 


434  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS. 

was  at  the  time  by  far  the  brightest  in  the 
constellation,  as  well  as  in  all  the  heavens 
around. 

To  believers  in  the  import  of  these  signs 
as  I  have  given  them  there  could  be  no  ques- 
tion about  the  meaning  of  these  indications. 
But  still,  the  time  would  remain  far  more  in- 
definite than  it  seems  to  have  been  in  the 
minds  of  these  distinguished  visitors.  There 
needed  to  be  some  further  and  more  sharply- 
narrowed  indications  to  account  for  the  whole 
case  in  this  line  of  explanation.  But  such 
more  definite   indications  were  not  wanting. 

Conjunctions  of  Jupiter  and  Saturn. 
In  the  rabbinical  commentaries  of  Abar- 
banel,  Eliezer,  and  others  great  stress  is  laid 
on  conjunctions  of  the  planets  Jupiter  and 
Saturn.  It  is  there  also  affirmed  that  about 
three  years  before  the  birth  of  Moses  a  con- 
junction between  Jupiter  and  Saturn  occurred 
in  the  sign  of  Pisces.  By  astronomical  cal- 
culations we  know  that  such  a  conjunction  of 
these  particular  planets  in  that  particular  sign 
did  take  place  about  that  period.  According 
to  Josephus  and  the  rabbis,  this  sign  was  in- 
terpreted by  the  Egyptian  astronomers  and 
wise  men  as  very  favorable  to  the  Jews  and 


CONJUNCTIONS   OF  JUPITER   AND   SATURN  435 

very  unfavorable  to  the  Egyptians.  Their 
sacred  scribes,  noted  for  their  skill  and  sa- 
gacity in  these  things,  came  to  the  king  in- 
sisting that  it  foretokened  the  birth  of  a 
child  among  the  Jews  who,  if  allowed  to 
live,  would  bring  the  Egyptian  dominion 
very  low,  excel  in  virtue  and  glory,  exalt 
the  children  of  Israel  to  power  and  honor, 
and  be  remembered  throughout  all  ages. 
(See  Josephus,  Ant.  ii.  9,  §§  2  and  27.) 

Three  things  here  come  out  with  great 
clearness  and  conspicuity  which  deserve  to 
be  particularly  noted :  first,  that  the  star- 
reading  of  a  conjunction  between  Jupiter  and 
Saturn  betokened  the  birth  of  a  great,  vir- 
tuous, princely,  and  glorious  operator  among 
men,  and  the  beginning  or  starting  of  a  new 
order  of  things ;  *  second,  that  the  sign  in 
which  the  conjunction  occurred  indicated 
the  people  among  whom  the  child  was  to 
be  born  ;  and  third,  that  the  children  of  Israel 
were  already  at  that  early  period  associated 
with  the  sien  of  Pisces. 


*  Kepler,  on  consulting  the  periods  of  the  conjunctions  between 
Jupiter  and  Saturn,  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  such  conjunctions  as- 
tronomically coincided  with  the  approach  of  each  climacteric  in 
human  affairs;  to  wit,  the  revelation  to  Adam,  the  birth  of  Enoch, 
the  Deluge,  the  birth  of  Moses,  the  birth  of  Cyrus,  the  birth  of 
Christ,  the  birth  of  Charlemagne,   and  the  birth  of  Luther. 


43^  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

Josephus  says  that  it  was  in  consequence 
of  what  the  scribes  augured  from  these  indi- 
cations that  the  decree  went  forth  from  Pha- 
raoh to  slay  every  male  child  that  should  be 
born  during  the  time  impending. 

We  thus  have  the  Jewish  rabbis  and  the 
Gentile  Egyptian  scribes  most  seriously,  on 
both  sides,  concurring  in  the  interpretation 
of  some  very  important  points  in  astronomic 
indications,  and  may  well  conclude  that  their 
views  and  teachings  with  regard  to  these  par- 
ticulars were  the  same  that  held  on  the  sub- 
ject among  the  learned  in  such  lore  through- 
out the  world  in  general,  including  the  wise 
men  who  asked  the  question  of  the  text 
Abarbanel,  in  his  Commentary  on  Daniel, 
affirms  it  as  a  settled  thing  that  the  conjunc- 
tion of  Jupiter  and  Saturn  always  betokens 
some  great  event  or  beginning  in  human  af- 
fairs, and  because  such  a  conjunction  occurred 
in  his  day  (about  a.  d.  1480),  he  expected  the 
speedy  birth  of  the  Messiah,  as  still  expected 
by  the  Jews. 

Now,  if  an  individual  and  isolated  conjunc 
tion  of  these  two  planets  presaged  the  birth 
of  one    so   illustrious  as   Moses,   and  always 
indicates    the  coming  of  some  great  one  on 
earth,  what  would   be   the  dignity  and  glory 


CONJUNCTIONS  OF  JUPITER  AND   SATURN.   437 

of  a  Child  whose  birth  is  heralded  by  three 
successive  conjunctions  of  these  same  planets 
in  one  and  the  same  year  ?  And  yet  this  is 
what,  in  fact,  did  occur  just  before  the  birth 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

In  the  year  of  Rome  747,  within  the  two 
years  preceding  the  Nativity,  during  the  last 
days  of  May,  there  was  one  such  conjunction. 
In  the  same  year,  during  the  last  days  of  Octo- 
ber there  was  another  such  conjunction.  And 
again  in  the  same  year,  during  the  first  days 
of  December,  there  was  a  third  conjunction — 
all  three  being  conjunctions  of  Jupiter  and 
Saturn,  as  on  the  occasion  of  the  birth  of 
Moses.  It  was  Kepler,  the  great  German 
astronomer,  who  first  pointed  out  these  re- 
markable incidents  of  the  heavens,  and  gave 
the  opinion  that  they  were  most  likely  the 
starry  phenomena  which  influenced  the  wise 
men  in  the  case  before  us.  The  calculations 
on  the  subject  have  been  repeatedly  re-ex- 
amined, and  latest  by  the  astronomer-royal 
at  Greenwich,  and  pronounced  to  be  correct, 
Independent  of  all  theories  or  interpreta- 
tions, the  facts  thus  stand  attested  by  the 
best  science,  and,  as  Farrar  says,  "  do  not 
seem  to  admit  of  denial." 

And  as  the  star  in  the  head  of  the  Virgin- 

37  * 


438  THE  GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

born  Infant  was  at  the  time  shining  with  a 
peculiar  brilliancy  new  to  it  and  brighter  than 
all  other  fixed  stars  in  the  firmament,  those 
who  took  the  conjunctions  of  Jupiter  and  Sat- 
urn as  indicating  the  near  birth  of  a  lordly 
and  illustrious  operator  in  human  affairs 
could  by  no  means  help  themselves  from 
the  conclusion  that  here  was  the  astronomic 
showing  of  the  pending  birth  of  a  triply-illus- 
trious One,  who  could  be  none  other  than 
that  divine-human  Seed  of  the  woman  every- 
where set  forth  in  the  constellations,  and 
promised  and  hoped  for  among  all  nations 
from  the  foundations  of  the  world.  These 
wise  men  would  thus  know,  and  be  assured 
beyond  all  doubt  or  misgiving,  that  the  par- 
ticular time  had  come  in  which  the  worshipful 
One  they  were  seeking  was  to  make  His  ad- 
vent. Such  portentous  conjunctions,  along 
with  the  new  star  in  Coma,  and  the  Virgin 
herself  on  the  meridian  at  the  same  time, 
would  seal  the  whole  matter.  The  signs 
were  full,  definite,  and  complete. 

The  Sign  of  the  Fishes. 
And  as  to  His  being  born  in  Judea  as  a 
Jewish  Prince,  that  they  would  know  from  the 
same  signs,  just  as  well  as  the  Egyptian  priests 


THE   SIGN  CF  THE  FISHES.  439 

knew  from  the  conjunction  of  the  same  plan- 
ets many  centuries  before  that  tKe  illustrious 
one  they  held  to  be  presaged  at  that  time  was 
to  arise  from  among  the  seed  of  Jacob.  The 
conjunction  occurred  in  Pisces,  the  sign  of  the 
Fishes;  and  the  sign  of  the  Fishes,  by  Jews 
and  Gentiles  alike,  was  assigned  to  the  Israel- 
itish  people  as  to  the  Sethites  and  Shemites, 
who  held  to  the  worship  of  one  only  God  and 
His  holy  promises  over  against  apostates  and 
unbelievers.  Abarbanel  argues  five  reasons 
for  the  reference  of  the  sign  of  Pisces  to  Is- 
rael. In  our  explanations  the  sign  of  the 
Fishes  means  the  earthly  Church,  and  the  seed 
of  Jacob  at  that  time  constituted  God's  chosen 
and  acknowledged  people.  And,  as  a  matter 
of  astronomic  fact,  all  three  of  the  conjunctions 
between  Jupiter  and  Saturn  which  immediate- 
ly preceded  Christ's  birth  were  in  the  sign  of 
the  Fishes — the  first  in  the  twentieth  degree, 
the  second  in  the  sixteenth  degree,  and  the 
third  in  the  fifteenth  decree.  With  the  same 
clearness  and  loudness,  therefore,  with  which 
these  planetary  conjunctions  and  stellar  indi- 
cations announced  the  immediate  birth  of  the 
glorious  divine-human  Seed  of  the  woman, 
did  they  also  announce  that  He  was  to  arise 
out  of  Jacob  and  to  be  a  Jewish  Prince. 


44°  the  gospel  in  the  stars. 

The  Following  of  the  Star. 

It  was  in  December,  at  the  winter  solstice, 
then  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  the  month,  that 
Christ  was  born.  It  was  most  likely  in  the 
following  March,  about  the  time  of  the  spring 
equinox,  at  the  first  anniversary  of  the  angel's 
annunciation  to  Mary,  that  these  wise  men 
reached  Jerusalem.  The  Church  mostly  puts 
it  a  little  earlier,  but  without  very  solid  chro- 
nological reasons.  It  was  at  this  time  that 
the  bright  star  in  Coma  was  vertical  at  Jeru- 
salem at  midnight.  The  record  plainly  im- 
plies that  these  men  were  following  the  star 
they  spoke  of  as  Christ's  Star.  The  follow- 
ing of  the  star  in  Coma,  so  emphatically  the 
star  of  the  infant  Seed  of  the  woman,  could  be 
no  other  following  than  the  going  to  the  place 
at  which  it  would  be  thus  vertical  over  them 
at  that  hour.  We  cannot  conceive  of  any 
other  sort  of  following  of  a  fixed  star.  And 
it  was  at  Jerusalem,  and  only  there  or  close 
on  that  particular  line  of  latitude  at  that  par- 
ticular time  of  the  year,  that  this  star  was  ver- 
tical at  exact  midnight.  This  would  also  al- 
low the  required  time  for  their  journey  after 
the  third  conjunction. 

The   further   item   in  the  narrative,  to  the 


THE   FOLLOWING    OF   TILE    STAR.  44 1 

effect  that  "  the  star  went  before  them  till  it 
came  and  stood  over  where  the  young  child 
was,"  is  explainable  in  the  same  way.  The 
short  distance  of  some  six  miles  between  Je- 
rusalem and  Bethlehem  would  make  so  little 
difference  in  the  observation  of  a  vertical  star 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to  note  it  without 
special  astronomical  appliances.  Hence,  when 
these  followers  of  the  star  came  to  Jerusalem, 
they  had  gone  as  near  to  the  spot  they  were 
searching  for  as  their  natural  observation 
could  serve  to  bring  them.  Accordingly,  the 
record  implies  that  there  they  somehow  lost 
the  benefit  of  the  star's  leading,  so  that  they 
applied  to  Herod  for  further  information. 
Their  light  from  the  observance  of  the  stars 
being  in  this  way  exhausted,  they  would  nat- 
urally betake  themselves  to  the  reigning  sov- 
ereign there  to  learn  the  specific  locality  in 
which  this  sublime  Prince  was  born,  being 
assured  by  their  starry  guidance  that  it  must 
needs  be  somewhere  in  that  immediate  vicin- 
ity. And  having  obtained  answer  that  Beth- 
lehem was  the  exact  place  indicated  by  sacred 
prophecy,  they  set  out  for  Bethlehem. 

But  on  their  way  to  Bethlehem,  by  some 
means  or  other,  to  their  great  joy,  their  star 
began  to  serve  them  again  the  same  as  it  did 


442  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE    STARS. 

before.  How  this  came  about  is  explained  by 
a  well-preserved  and  beautiful  old  tradition 
which  we  have  no  reason  to  discredit. 

Though  Bethlehem  is  only  about  six  miles 
from  Jerusalem,  it  is  said  that  these  distin- 
guished visitors  stopped  on  the  way,  and  tar- 
ried by  the  side  of  a  deep  well.  What  they 
halted  for  in  so  short  a  journey  it  would  be 
hard  to  tell,  except  it  was  to  take  another 
midnight  observation  of  their  star.  For  this 
purpose  the  well,  with  its  perpendicular  walls, 
would  serve  them  the  same  as  a  fixed  obser- 
vatory. It  was  by  means  of  such  a  well,  and 
the  reflection  of  the  sun  in  it,  at  Syene  in 
Egypt,  that  the  line  of  the  tropic  was  deter- 
mined, and  the  extent  of  its  declination  in  the 
time  that  had  elapsed  since  that  well  was  dug. 
So  these  wise  men,  by  looking  down  the  well, 
and  observing  the  reflection  of  their  bright 
star  in  the  still  water  at  the  bottom,  could 
find  with  great  accuracy  whether  it  was  ex- 
actly vertical  over  them,  or  in  what  respect, 
if  any,  it  was  not.  And  so  the  tradition  is, 
that  they  looked  into  the  well  and  saw  their 
star,  and  perceived  that  it  "  stood  over" — was 
exactly  vertical  at — not  Jerusalem,  but  Bethle- 
hem, "  where  the  young  child  was."  Making 
it  designate  the  house  is  not  in  the  record. 


prophecy  and  astronomy.  443 

Junction  of  Prophecy  and  Astronomy 
The  result  of  the  acquisition  of  this  new 
light  by  means  of  their  own  star-guide  tradi- 
tion and  the  Scriptures  both  describe.  They 
both  say  that  "when  they  saw  the  star"  and 
realized  its  relation  to  Bethlehem,  "  they  re- 
joiced with  exceeding  great  joy."  And  well 
they  might,  for  it  was  a  conjunction  like  that 
of  Jupiter  and  Saturn  themselves — the  per- 
fect conjunction  and  coincidence  of  the  pri- 
meval astronomy  and  the  revelations  giv- 
en by  Israel's  prophets  touching  the  great 
Messiah.  These  men,  indeed,  had  not  yet 
reached  the  object  of  their  search,  but  they 
were  now  doubly  sure  of  finding  and  seeing 
the  illustrious  Virgin-born  Saviour  of  the 
world,  of  whom  the  heavens  and  all  sacred 
story  had  been  telling  and  prophesying  from 
remotest  antiquity,  and  in  whom  they  felt 
more  interest  than  in  all  the  earth  besides. 
It  was  the  Eureka  !  Eureka  !  of  Gentile  faith 
and  hope  on  the  threshold  of  embracing  the 
adorable  infant  Seed  of  the  woman,  of  whose 
glorious  advent  they  had  now  no  longer  the 
least  shadow  of  a  doubt.  Nor  need  we  be 
surprised  if  it  should  turn  out  that  this  was 
the  very  well  of  Bethlehem  of  which   David 


444  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

had  such  fond  remembrance,  and  from  whi^h 
he  so  longed  to  drink. 

And  when  we  come  to  consider  who  these 
"wise  men"  were,  whence  they  came,  and 
what  their  character,  position,  relations,  and 
main  occupations,  our  explanation  of  the  case 
is  doubly  strengthened. 

Who  the  Magi  were. 

There  has  been  about  as  much  uncertainty, 
debate,  and  diversity  of  opinion  touching  the 
identity  of  these  people  as  about  the  star  of 
which  they  spake.  It  would  be  a  waste  of 
time  to  describe  the  wide-ranging  imaginings 
upon  the  subject.  We  only  need  to  know 
the  solid  facts  in  the  case. 

It  is  settled  by  Matthew's  narrative  that 
these  people  on  their  mission  of  homage  to 
the  infant  Christ  were  Magi,  and  that  they 
came  from  a  country  far  eastward  from  Pal- 
estine. Whether  from  due  east  is  not  in 
volved  in  the  statement.  According  to  all 
the  elements  of  the  showing,  and  by  the  gen- 
eral consent  of  the  Church  in  all  ages,  they 
were  Gentiles  —  the  first-fruits  unto  Christ 
from  the  Gentile  world.  All  classic  writers, 
from  Herodotus  down  to  Ammianus,  agree 
in  pointing  to  Media  as  their  hom^-country — 


WHO    THE  MAGI  WERE.  445 

the  country  of  the  illustrious  Cyrus,  who  is 
noted  in  sacred  prophecy  and  was  announced 
by  inspiration  as  God's  anointed  for  the  de- 
liverance of  Israel  from  Babylon  long  before 
he  was  born. 

The  Magi  are  specially  named  in  the  list 
of  the  Median  tribes,  just  as  Matthew  names 
them.  Anciently  they  were  mostly  a  pastoral 
people  greatly  occupied  with  religion,  astron- 
omy, and  other  sacred  sciences.  They  were  the 
great  teachers  of  kings  and  people  in  the  di- 
vine wisdom.  They  were  a  priestly  or  sacer- 
dotal tribe,  after  the  style  of  Levi  among  the 
tribes  of  Israel.  It  was  their  hereditary  priv- 
ilege to  provide  their  country  with  priests  and 
religious  instructors.  They  were  the  minis- 
ters and  prophets  of  their  day.  Their  relig- 
ion was  the  noblest  and  the  least  corrupted 
of  all  the  ancient  world.  They  lived  mostly 
in  towns  without  walls,  observing  their  own 
laws  and  trusting  to  God  alone  for  protec- 
tion. It  was  from  amone  them  that  Zoroaster 
sprung,  if  indeed  such  a  man  ever  lived,  and 
that  Confucius,  more  remotely  perhaps,  ob- 
tained his  better  knowledge.  It  was  from 
among  them  that  Cyrus  selected  his  priests 
for  Persia.  They  believed  in  one  God,  orig- 
inal   Creator,    supreme    in    omniscience    and 

38 


446  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE    STARS. 

goodness,  unrivalled  in  splendor,  and  dwell- 
ing in  light  eternal.  They  believed  in  a  great 
and  powerful,  spirit  of  evil  in  constant  antag- 
onism to  God,  the  spoiler  of  the  divine  works 
and  the  author  of  all  mischief.  The  history 
of  the  world  to  them  was  the  history  of  the 
conflict  of  the  good  originating  with  God  and 
the  evil  originating  with  the  Devil.  All  men 
they  considered  active  in  this  conflict  on  the 
one  side  or  the  other.  They  held  that  God 
by  His  prophets  gave  a  revelation  and  a  law 
by  which  men  might  know  their  duty,  fashion 
their  hopes,  and  direct  their  conduct,  and 
which  it  was  their  business  to  preserve  and 
expound.  They  possessed  both  the  Solar 
and  Lunar  Zodiacs,  and  claimed  that  they 
were  given  of  God  to  teach  man  wisdom, 
forecast  the  future,  and  give  hope  to  the 
good.  According  to  the  showings  0f  the 
constellations,  they  looked  for  a  time  when  a 
Son  of  the  eternal  Lawgiver  would  be  born, 
who  should  be  a  great  Saviour  and  Deliverer, 
by  whom  the  spirit  of  evil  and  the  powers  of 
hell  would  be  destroyed,  the  dead  raised  up 
to  life  again,  and  a  kingdom  of  everlasting 
life  and  happiness  established  over  all  the 
earth. 

So  I  find  it  written  in  the  best  accounts  of 


WHO    THE    MAGI    WERE.  44/ 

them  and  in  those  fragments  of  their  sacred 
books  which  are  still  preserved  and  of  late 
years  published  in  our  tongue. 

And,  as  before  Abraham's  time  and  outside 
of  his  chosen  family-line,  there  were  men  like 
Job  and  his  friends,  like  Melchisedec,  king  of 
Salem,  like  Jethro,  priest  of  Midian  and  father- 
in-law  of  Moses,  like  Balaam  before  his  fall — 
men  of  faith  in  the  traditional  revelations  that 
came  forth  out  of  the  ark — men  whom  the 
Spirit  of  God  and  saving  wisdom  had  not  en- 
tirely abandoned — so  in  the  time  of  Christ's 
birth  there  were  some  noble  spirits  among 
the  descendants  of  these  ancient  Magi  who 
still  eagerly  clung  to  the  hope  of  the  sure  ful- 
filment of  the  primeval  promise,  and  hence  con- 
tinued to  observe  the  heavens,  and  to  consult 
what  they  considered  the  inspired  lore  of  the 
skies,  that  they  might  not  miss  the  signs  and 
tokens  noted  in  the  hereditary  prophecies 
of  their  caste  as  presages  of  the  advent  of 
the  great  Virgin-born  Son  of  the  eternal 
Sovereign. 

And  to  men  of  such  descent,  culture,  faith, 
hope,  office,  and  pursuits,  what  more  would  be 
necessary  than  just  the  starry  indications  which 
I  have  named  to  thrill  their  souls  with  pro- 
foundest  enthusiasm,  fan  the  smouldering  em- 


448  THE   GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

bers  of  their  hereditary  knowledge  into  a  flame 
of  intensest  animation,  and  create  just  such 
an  expedition  to  greet  the  new-born  divine 
King,  as  that  described  in  connection  with  the 
text  ?  Had  we  been  in  their  place,  with  their 
beliefs,  feelings,  and  anticipations,  with  such 
signs  and  indications  upon  the  face  of  the  sky, 
where  we  and  our  fathers  were  taueht  to  read 
the  sacred  foreshowings  of  what  was  to  come 
to  pass,  I  feel  sure  that  we  would  have  been 
moved,  rejoiced,  thrilled,  and  impelled  just  as 
they  were. 

And  why,  then,  should  we  not  accept  the 
.onclusion  that  so  it  was  ?  There  is  not  a 
particle  of  evidence  on  earth  that  this  was  not 
the  true  state  of  the  case  as  respects  the  Magi. 
All  the  conditions  and  known  facts  and  pre- 
sumable likelihoods  point  in  this  one  direc- 
tion. Everything  in  the  record  thus  explains 
to  the  full  as  it  will  not  explain  in  any  other 
way  known  to  men.  And  the  whole  result  in 
this  view  takes  on  that  dignity,  importance, 
and  far-reaching  instructiveness  which  best 
befit  its  place  in  the  New  Testament.  It  is 
a  view  which  silences  and  sweeps  away  the 
unworthy  suspicions,  perplexities,  and  cavils 
which  have  so  lon^  huncr  about  it  in  the  minds 
and  estimates  of  many,  clearing  it  up  into  def- 


THE   SUM  OF   THE    WHOLE.  449 

inite  and  comprehensible  shape,  and  vindi- 
cating die  action  of  the  Church  in  putting  it 
forward  as  the  subject  of  a  special  festival, 
the  opening  theme  of  a  prominent  season  in 
her  calendar,  and  the  keynote  of  the  earthly 
Epiphany  of  the  sublime  Redeemer  of  the 
world. 

The  Sum.  of  the  Whole. 
Here,  then,  is  a  magnificent  instance,  ac- 
credited by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  stands  as 
an  everlasting  testimony  to  the  fact  of  a  pri- 
meval revelation  to  all  men,  to  the  existence 
of  a  record  of  that  revelation  in  the  primeval 
astronomy,  and  to  the  preservation  of  the 
same  in  sufficient  incorruptness  to  inform 
those  who  clung  to  it  of  the  time  and  place 
of  the  nativity  of  the  long-promised  Seed 
of  the  woman,  and  to  move  them  to  go  and 
greet  Him  in  His  cradle  with  their  devoutest 
homage  and  adoration.  Surely,  this  ought  to 
be  enough  to  put  the  matter  beyond  dispute, 
and  to  settle  for  ever  that  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  the  Gospel  in  the  Stars — even  that 
very  Gospel  of  God  which  holds  forth  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  as  the  promised  Seed  of  the  wo- 
man, the  divine-human  Son  of  the  Virgin,  who 
was  to  come,  to  suffer,  and  to  toil  and  die  for 

38  *  2D 


450  THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

the  deliverance  of  man  from  darkness,  sin 
death,  and  the  power  of  the  Devil,  to  bruise 
the  head  of  the  Serpent,  to  destroy  the  works 
and  dominion  cf  the  great  Enemy,  and  to 
bring  in  everlasting  redemption  to  our  fallen 
race.  It  was  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  even  in 
His  cradle,  that  the  primeval  astronomy  con- 
ducted these  remote  Gentile  believers ;  and 
to  that  same  Jesus,  amid  vivid  and  glowing 
illustrations  of  the  truth  respecting  His  na- 
ture, person,  mission  and  work,  past,  present, 
and  future,  the  primeval  astronomy  is  still 
capable  of  conducting  even  Christians  them- 
selves. 

To  those  who  have  entered  into  the  induc- 
tion of  facts  and  showings  which  I  have  given, 
though  imperfectly,  in  these  Lectures,  I  am 
sure  no  further  evidence  is  needed  to  work 
conviction  of  the  merit  and  worth  of  the  sub- 
ject, and  of  the  evangelic  illuminations  which 
it  furnishes.  We  have  considered  these  heav- 
ens, and,  behold,  we  have  found  them  flaming 
from  end  to  end,  from  centre  to  circumfer- 
ence, with  that  superlative  "  glory  of  God " 
which  shines  "  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
We  have  taken  our  stand  beneath  the  shining 
archway,  and  looked  at  the  grand  procession 
of  the  celestial  scenery  as  inscribed  by  God's 


THE   SUM   OF    THE   WHOLE.  45  T 

primeval  prophets,  and  have  listened  to  the 
story  as  it  unfolded  ;  and,  lo  !  it  is  the  same 
blessed  story  of  the  fall  and  redemption — 
of  Jesus  and  "the  restitution  of  all  things" — 
which  we  have  in  the  writings  of  the  Prophets 
and  Apostles.  Our  experience  has  been  akin 
to  that  of  those  on  Jordan's  banks,  who  saw 
the  heavens  opened,  and  beheld  the  Spirit 
alighting  on  the  Virgin's  Child,  and  heard  a 
voice  from  the  depths  of  eternity  saying, 
"  This  is  My  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased!'  On  that  great  Virgin-born  our 
eyes  were  fixed  from  the  very  starting-point. 
On  Him  our  attention  has  been  kept  and 
riveted  at  every  step  of  the  way  through  the 
whole  circuit  of  the  skies,  with  the  Ecliptic 
and  across  it.  And  ever  sharper,  clearer, 
gladder,  and  fuller  grew  the  glorious  testi- 
mony as  we  advanced,  till  all  the  morning 
stars  seemed  to  resume  their  ancient  songs 
and  all  the  sons  of  light  their  primeval  shouts, 
whilst  these  far-spanning  heavens  through  all 
their  constellations  rang  out,  "  Hosannah ! 
Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  Name  of  the 
Lord!     Hosannah  in  the  highest!" 

On  such  sublime  heights,  amid  such  scenes 
of  song  and  brightness,  we  would  fain  linger. 
Like  Peter  on  the  mount,  we  would  here  build 


452       THE   GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

tabernacles  and  abide.  But,  though  to  other 
scenes  and  duties  called,  like  him  we  still  may 
bear  away  with  us  the  memory  of  what  we 
have  witnessed,  and  think  of  it  in  our  humble 
toils  and  sad  solitudes,  and  be  all  the  firmer 
in  our  faith  and  the  more  hopeful  in  our  out- 
look toward  the  nearing  eternity.  And  happy 
they,  and  wise  indeed,  to  whom  it  is  given 
through  these  contemplations  to  say  in  truth 
and  soul-earnestness  of  Him  to  whom  the 
heavens  thus  testify,  "  We  have  seen  His  star, 
and  are  come  to  worship  Him!' 

Thus,  then,  my  long  task  is  done.  And 
may  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  who  bring- 
eth  forth  Mazzaroth  in  his  seasons  and  guides 
A  returns  with  his  sons,  bless  the  humble  con- 
tribution to  the  confirmation  of  His  Word,  the 
honor  of  His  Name,  and  the  vindication  of  the 
claims  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  undoubting  faith 
and  everlasting  adoration  of  all  that  live  and 
move  beneath  His  genial  skies ! 


Gloria  in  Excelsis  Deo! 


SUPPLEMENT. 


NOTICES  OF  "THE  GOSPEL  IN  THE  STARS,"  CRITL 
CISMS,  REPLIES  TO  QUESTIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS 
WITH  FURTHER  EXPLANATIONS,  ARGUMENTS 
AUTHORITIES,    AND    A    GENERAL    INDEX. 


Notices. 

The  author  of  this  book  has  no  reason  to  com- 
plain of  a  lack  of  notices  of  his  work.  The  press 
in  general  has  referred  to  it,  and  a  hundred  or  more 
of  such  notices  have  come  into  his  possession.  Some 
of  these  have  been  very  sympathetic  with  the  theme 
and  have  much  commended  the  argument. 

Thus,  Stoddarfs  Review,  among  other  favorable 
expressions,  says  : 

"  He  makes  it  apparent  that  the  strange  figures  belonging  to  the 
constellations  were  familiar  at  a  period  that  antedates  by  thousands 
of  years  any  known  religious  faith  which  failed  to  recognize  the 
existence  and  power  of  the  true  God.  The  evidence  is  strong 
which  maintains  that  these  devices  had  their  origin  in  the  very 
earliest  ages  of  the  world ;  and  this  one  fact,  proved  as  it  seems  to 
be,  may  be  accepted  as  excellent  testimony  to  their  divine  origin ; 
and  if  that  origin  was  divine,  then  it  is  fair  to  attempt,  as  Dr.  S. 
does,  to  ascertain  what  was  the  purpose  of  their  arrangement.  If 
the  hand  of  the  Creator  appears  in  these  signs,  confessed  through 

453 


454  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

all  the  centuries  to  be  surrounded  by  mystery,  and  having  a  persist- 
ent existence  which  cannot  be  accounted  for  by  the  action  of  purely 
human  agencies,  then  it  is  a  fair  inference  that  there  is  behind  them 
some  wonderful  and  eternal  purpose  which  man,  in  a  just  spirit  of 
reverence,  may  seek  to  detect." 

Thus,  The  Prophetic  Times  says : 

"The  correspondence  between  the  starry  groups  and  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  is  traced  with  a  vigorous  pen,  and  invested  with  an 
absorbing  interest  as  vivid  as  it  is  novel ;  and  we  rise  from  its 
perusal  with  the  conviction  that  there  can  be  no  question  but  that 
the  Gospel  glows  in  these  heavenly  constellations  with  all  the  lustre 
of  the  stars  themselves.  The  most  remarkable  thing  elicited  by  the 
doctor's  researches,  and  clearly  exhibited  in  this  book,  is,  that  such 
an  array  of  symbolic  figures,  with  the  names  of  the  principal  stars 
composing  the  groups,  should  admit  of  being  interpreted  by  the  facts 
and  truths  of  the  Gospel;  showing  beyond  cavil  the  divine  origin 
of  both.  We  have  often  wondered  what  these  abnormal  figures  of 
astronomy  could  mean,  and  supposed  they  were  of  a  piece  with  the 
absurdities  of  heathen  mythology;  and  our  satisfaction  is  as  great 
as  our  surprise  to  find  them  so  completely  rescued  from  that  abuse 
and  restored  to  what  appears  to  have  been  their  divinely-intended 
service.  And  Dr.  S.  merits  great  praise  for  his  indefatigable  re- 
search and  consummate  skill  in  penetrating  and  removing  the  veil 
of  mythology,  and  discovering  to  us  in  so  masterly  a  manner  their 
true  symbolic  character  and  meaning." 

Thus  also  the  Christian  Union  says : 

"The  attempt  to  read  the  Gospel  of  Christ  from  the  skies  seems 
absurd,  but  the  boldness  of  Dr.  Seiss  has  been  rewarded  with  so 
much  of  success  as  demands  careful  thought.  With  much  skill  the 
author  has  explained  the  meaning  of  these  heavenly  emblems  in  the 
light  of  the  New-Testament  revelations.  The  history  of  the  past, 
and  the  yet  unfulfilled  prophecies,  are  read  in  these  strange  figures 
of  the  skies,  and  the  studies  of  Dr.  S.  now  made  public  surely 
enrich  the  geography  of  the  heavens  and  give  new  delight  to  the 
devout  soul.  The  book  is  an  evidence  of  what  the  things  of  crea- 
tion can  be  made  to  teach  those  who  are  in  sympathy  with  the  great 


NOTICES.  455 

plan  of  redemption,  and  what  yet  may  be  unfolded  of  the  wisdom 
and  power  of  God  when  the  unity  of  all  His  works  is  fully  known." 

Likewise,  the  Boston  Newsdealers'  Bulletin  says : 

"This  volume  displays  to  view  the  absurdity  of  the  theories  of 
skeptics,  explains  the  origin  and  meaning  of  the  constellations  of 
the  heavens,  and  shows  what  bearing  they  have  upon  the  Christian 
religion  and  the  sustaining  of  the  truths  set  forth  in  the  Word  of 
God.  He  sees  much  in  the  myths  of  primeval  history,  and  proves 
irrevocably  that  Jesus  is  the  divine  and  appointed  Saviour." 

The  Messenger  of  the  Reformed  Church  says  : 

"  We  have  been  very  much  pleased  with  the  book.  It  is  possible 
that  an  occasional  citation  from  the  Scriptures  may  seem  to  be  a 
little  far-fetched,  but  there  is  more  truth  in  the  general  assertions 
than  most  people  wot  of." 

The  New  England  Journal  of  Education  says  : 

"  The  whole  subject  is  fresh,  new,  and  thoroughly  handled,  and 
the  same  is  presented  in  popular  form,  which  the  plainest  under- 
standing can  easily  follow,  whether  familiar  with  astronomy  or  not. 
To  readers  in  general,  and  particularly  to  those  interested  in  Reve- 
lation, the  evidence  of  inspiration,  and  the  proofs  that  Jesus  is  the 
divine  and  appointed  Saviour  of  the  World,  this  book  cannot  fail  to 
be  of  intense  interest." 

The  Lutheran  Church  Review  says  : 

"  The  conclusions  reached,  while  from  their  novelty  often  causing 
the  reader  to  plead  surprise  and  to  ask  a  stay  of  judgment,  seem  so  ' 
fairly  reached  that  the  conviction  grows  upon  the  mind  that  if  they 
are  to  be  refuted,  it  can  be  done  only  by  showing  that  the  facts  pre- 
mised are  no  facts  at  all.  The  writer  of  this  notice  has  no  intention 
to  undertake  a  task  of  that  sort." 

The  Fort  Wayne  Gazette  says  : 

"  The  argument  which  the  author  makes  is  not  a  flimsy  one,  by 
any  means.     The  inferences  drawn  from  the  facts  represented  are 


45 6  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS. 

quite  satisfactory,  and  cannot  be  brushed  away  as  being  mere  trifles. 
It  is  a  work  of  more  than  a  passing  interest.  It  affords  subject  for 
thought  and  reflection,  and  will  have  a  wide  circulation." 

Even  in  the  majority  of  instances  in  which  the 
writers  have  expressed  a  reserve  as  to  the  theory  of 
the  book  there  has  been  a  hearty  commendation  of 
it  as  worthy  of  particular  consideration,  as  containing 
much  important  astronomical,  historical,  and  theo- 
logical material,  as  tending  to  interest  and  edify,  in 
the  direction  of  sound  faith,  and  as  opening  up  a 
subject  of  legitimate  inquiry,  the  study  of  which  may 
result  in  conclusions  of  solid  worth  in  the  interpre- 
tation of  much  that  is  not  understood  or  greatly  mis- 
understood. 

Thus  The  Guardian  says  : 

"  This  work  is  well  worth  reading.  It  opens  up  a  general  subject 
which  is  more  and  more  attracting  attention,  especially  since  the  late 
discoveries  of  Modern  Science  in  the  field  of  Ancient  Ethnography. 

"  Traditional  accounts  of  the  Creation,  and  of  the  great  facts  in 
the  history  of  Man,  were  treasured  up,  not  only  in  the  Books  of 
Moses,  but  in  those  inscriptions  engraved  by  the  immediate  descend- 
ants of  Noah  which  have  recently  been  brought  to  light,  and  which 
have  of  late  years  been  deciphered. 

"Nor  are  such  historical  memorials  of  those  great  events  con- 
fined to  the  tablets  found  in  the  ruins  of  Bablyon  and  Nineveh  alone. 
Indeed,  it  is  contended  that  such  traditions  have  been  handed  down 
in  symbols  of  various  kinds  found  in  Egypt,  Asia,  Mexico,  Central 
America,  and  Peru.  And  such  a  scholar  as  Humboldt  is  cited  as 
bearing  witness  to  the  wonderful  analogy  existing  in  these  symbolic 
mysteries. 

"  In  such  explanations  of  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac  [and  other 
ancient  constellations]  Dr.  S.  does  not  claim  originality;  and  he 
makes  use  of  an  amount  of  literary  contributions  to  the  subject,  of 
which  little  is  generally  known.  He  makes  one  good  point  against 
modern  Infidelity. 


notices.  457 

"  To  all  those  who  believe  that  the  Lamb  of  God  was  <  slain 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world'  (Rev.  13:8)  Dr.  Seiss's  interpre- 
tation of  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac  will  have  its  interest,  however  little 
reliance  they  may  place  upon  his  theory." 

The  Printer's  Circular  says  : 

"  A  strong,  plausible  case  is  made  out  by  the  learned  author,  who 
exhausts  vast  stores  of  erudition  to  establish  and  prove  his  novel 
position.  Those  who  do  not  agree  with  him  must  at  least  concede 
him  the  possession  of  far  more  astronomical  lore  than  is  usually 
possessed  by  doctors  of  divinity.  The  book  is  sure  to  be  welcomed 
as  a  permanent  addition  to  the  world's  stock  of  speculative  the- 
ology." 

So  the  Utica  Herald : 

"  While  it  is  easy  to  say  that  the  theory  put  forth  in  this  book  is 
full^of  imagination,  and  seems  wholly  fanciful  and  far-fetched,  no 
one  can  say  that  as  interpretations  of  the  constellations  these  anal- 
ogies are  not  quite  as  reasonable  and  far  more  dignified  than  many 
of  the  myths  with  which  they  are  now  associated." 

So  the  Indianapolis  Republican  : 

"  The  author  has  done  good  work  in  this  book,  and  his  study 
of  the  subject  shows  through  every  sentence.  He  has  crowded  a 
world  of  useful  and  curious  information  into  a  handy  volume,  and 
connects  the  olden  myths  with  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  in  a 
manner  as  clear  as  it  is  new  to  many.  The  book  is  a  valuable 
acquisition,  and  cannot  but  be  of  interest  to  all." 

So  also  the  Chicago  Standard : 

"  It  will  not  do  to  dismiss  without  reflection  the  theory  presented 
by  the  writer,  however  fanciful  it  may  at  first  seem.  That  God  wrote 
the  story  of  the  Cross  in  the  constellations  of  the  heavens  we  may 
not  be  ready  to  accept  as  truth,  but,  whether  we  reject  this  hypoth- 
esis or  not,  we  can  hardly  escape  the  feeling  that  there  are  facts 
involved  in  the  science  of  Astronomy  which  require  a  reasonable 
explanation  on  Christian  grounds.  How  came  the  manifold  resem- 
39 


45 8  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

blances  betwixt  the  Gospel  story  and  the  intimations  both  of  myth- 
ology and  astrology  ?  Dr.  Seiss's  theory  is  at  least  worthy  of  con- 
sideration, and,  while  personally  we  should  not  adopt  it,  still  we 
admire  the  carefulness  and  thoroughness  of  the  discussion  before  us, 
and  for  its  stimulus  and  suggestion  heartily  recommend  it  to  our 
readers.  The  spirit  of  the  work  is  thoroughly  devout,  and,  as  is 
manifest,  evangelical." 

The  Presbyterian  says :  "  The  book  is  certainly  one 
of  interest,  whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  theory;" 
and  so  many  other  writers  of  Book  Notices  in  papers 
of  various  classes. 


Criticisms. 

The  adverse  notices  of  this  book  have  mainly 
come  from  three  classes  of  minds.  The  first  class 
consists  of  those  who  have  no  idea  of  a  personal 
God,  treat  all  religion  as  superstition,  reject  inspi- 
ration in  the  sense  of  divine  revelation,  and  see 
no  need  of  an  atoning  Redeemer.  A  reviewer 
expresses  the  belief  that  "  one  of  the  uses  of  this 
book  possibly  will  be  to  tend  to  destroy  much  of 
the  force  of  that  kind  of  infidelity  which  pretends 
to  find  all  the  germs  of  Christianity  in  precedent 
religions  and  mythologies."  The  author  has  learned 
of  an  instance  in  which  the  consideration  of  these 
presentations  was  the  means  of  reclaiming  a  pro- 
nounced infidel  to  faith  in  the  Gospel.  The  book, 
therefore,  is  very  much  in  conflict  with  infidelity, 
and  has  done  anything  but  please  skeptics  and  those 
skeptically  inclined. 

The  second  class  consists  of  professed  Christians, 


CRITICISMS.  459 

of  the  so-called  liberal  and  rationalistic  school,  the 
bent  of  whose  philosophy  is  to  contemplate  man 
as  a  creature  of  cultivation  from  a  troglodite  or 
savage,  and  destined  to  rise  by  self-development, 
perhaps  with  a  little  adventitious  aid,  into  ultimate 
perfection,  and  who  are  accordingly  very  devoted 
to  what  they  are  pleased  to  call  Progress.  The 
whole  showing  and  doctrine  of  this  book  is  much 
of  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  such  thinking, 
and  hence,  to  minds  of  this  class,  it  is  "  wild," 
"  imaginary,"  "  a  fanciful  endeavor  to  make  a  pro- 
phetic purpose  out  of  the  names  (?)  of  the  constel- 
lations," "  absurd." 

The  third  class  consists  of  certain  self-complacent 
believers,  jealous  of  everything  that  happens  to  go 
beyond  the  range  of  their  treadmill  paths.  These 
are  stirred  with  pious  alarm  at  any  attempt  to  show 
that  the  same  prophetic  Word  of  God  may  possibly 
have  another  record  of  its  glorious  contents  in  an- 
other place  and  form  from  the  Bible.  They  cannot 
favor  this  book,  lest  they  should  encourage  a  style 
of  reasoning  that  may  bring  discredit  on  the  very 
cause  it  seeks  to  advocate. 

A  striking  example  of  such  cowardly  trembling 
for  the  Ark  of  the  Lord  is  presented  in  one  who 
deploringly  says,  "  The  purpose  is  so  praiseworthy, 
and  the  zeal  and  eloquence  brought  to  bear  upon 
it  are  so  great,  that  some  will  doubtless  be  carried 
.away  by  the  reasoning  of  the  author  to  a  conviction 
that  the  heavenly  constellations  are  indeed  a  pre- 
vious revelation  of  vital  importance"! 


460  THE    GOSPEL    /AT   THE   STARS. 

There  is,  of  course,  but  one  Revelation,  one 
Christ,  one  Gospel,  one  plan  and  purpose  of  Re- 
demption for  fallen  man,  even  that  which  is  written 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments ;  but  why  may  it 
not  be  given  in  a  thousand  different  modes  of  pres- 
entation, to  as  many  prophets,  in  different  ages, 
symbolically  here  and  didactically  there,  in  high 
poetry  or  in  simple  parable?  And  where  is  the 
harm  or  loss  to  sacred  truth,  the  calamity  to  souls, 
the  disadvantage  to  faith,  if  it  should  appear  that 
God  verily  caused  His  glorious  Gospel  to  be  pic- 
torially  inscribed  on  the  everlasting  stars  from  the 
beginning,  as  well  as  afterward  written  in  divers 
forms  and  languages  on  perishable  parchment? 
The  early  world  certainly  had  a  revelation  of  Gos- 
pel truth,  whether  they  hung  it  on  the  stars  or 
not. 

Of  course,  nothing  contrary  to  the  written  Word 
is  to  be  admitted  as  matter  of  faith,  whether  from 
the  pictures  in  the  starry  heavens  or  from  any 
other  source.  We  cannot  so  much  as  know  that 
these  pictures  set  forth  the  Gospel,  except  as  they 
accord  with  the  written  Word.  But  when  men 
deny  the  inspiration  of  the  written  record,  and 
seek  to  empty  it  of  its  sublimest  substance  by  their 
miserable  rationalizing,  it  is  a  transcendent  gain 
and  advantage,  in  which  every  genuine  believer 
should  rejoice  with  thankfulness,  to  be  able  to 
point  to  a  duplicate  record  of  precisely  the  same 
glorious  things,  in  quite  another  form,  and  in  place 
and  time  where  nothing  but  the  special  inspiration 


NO   CHAMPION.  461 

and  illumination  of  God  could  have  produced  it. 
Whether  we  really  have  such  an  earlier  duplicate 
of  the  grand  substance  of  the  Gospel  in  the  pri- 
meval astronomy  can  only  be  decided  on  the  evi- 
dences in  the  case  ;  but  it  is  a  super-devotion  and 
a  very  stupid  pietism  to  deplore  the  finding  of 
grounds  for  such  a  conviction. 

No  Champion  for  Current  Theories. 
A  noteworthy  fact  with  regard  to  the  adverse 
notices  of  this  book  is,  that  not  one  of  the  writers 
has  ventured  in  any  degree  to  champion  or  defend 
the  current  theories  respecting  the  origin  and 
meaning  of  the  constellations.  Those  who  have 
had  the  field  and  the  sway  hitherto  when  put  on 
trial  have  nothing  to  say.  They  thus  show  that 
they  secretly  feel  they  have  no  case  against  the 
showings  of  this  book.  They  are  in  the  unpleas- 
ant plight  of  having  sanctioned  a  line  of  thinking 
which  they  are  at  a  loss  to  maintain,  and  of  being 
confronted  with  a  great,  heaven-wide,  universal 
system,  as  old  as  the  oldest  records  of  the  race, 
and  handled  every  day  by  all  peoples  on  earth, 
which  they  are  not  at  all  able  rationally,  historical- 
ly, or  scientifically  to  explain ;  whilst  their  former 
thinking  is  assailed  and  pressed  with  a  new  method 
of  contemplation  so  reasonable,  so  dignified,  so 
true  to  the  worthiest  records  and  traditions,  so 
consistent,  harmonious,  and  exhaustive  in  its  ex- 
planations of  all  the  multitudinous  facts  entering 
into    the    case,  that   they    do    not    know   where   or 

39* 


462  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

how  to  attack  it,  or  how  to  dispose  of  it  without 
a  radical  revolution  in  their  wavs  of  looking-  at 
things,  to  which  they  are  by  no  means  willing  to 
submit. 

One  writer  so  feels  this  embarrassment  that  he 
has  sought  a  way  out  by  declaiming  against  "  taking 
the  ignorance  of  everybody  as  a  basis  of  know- 
ledge." But  that  will  not  help  him.  This  book 
does  not  assert  that  the  constellations  are  inspired 
prophetic  symbols  of  the  promised  redemption  by 
"  the  Seed  of  the  woman,"  because  nobody  can 
tell  whence  else  or  for  what  else  they  came  into 
being.  The  whole  field  is  diligently  surveyed. 
The  entire  system  as  originally  constituted  is 
searched  out  and  exhibited.  The  principal  myths 
connected  with  each  constellation,  as  well  as  the 
figures  which  mark  them,  both  in  themselves  and 
in  relation  to  one  another,  are  carefully  analyzed. 
The  names  of  the  chief  stars  belonging  to  each 
group  are  sought  out  and  interpreted  by  the  light 
of  the  best  linguistic  guides.  The  whole  is  closely 
compared,  section  by  section,  with  the  statements, 
imagery,  and  diction  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  touch- 
ing the  Author  and  Work  of  human  redemption. 
A  clear  and  complete  correspondence — as  clear  and 
complete  as  that  between  the  parables  of  Christ 
and  the  spiritual  truths  they  were  meant  to  illustrate 
— is  traced  out  in  detail.  A  vast  body  of  historical, 
scriptural,  traditional,  and  mythical  facts  is  presented, 
which  not  only  accord  with  the  theory,  but  largely 
demand  it  as  the  only  right  conclusion  from  them. 


THE    SOUTHERN  CROSS.  463 

And  there  is  thus  fairly  made  out  a  full,  legitimate, 
and  independent  case,  which  must,  in  all  just  logic, 
go  through,  unless  the  facts  on  which  it  rests  can 
be  solidly  refuted  or  some  equally  adequate  and 
verifiable  explanation  of  them  can  be  given.  Not 
on  men's  ignorance  is  the  doctrine  of  this  book 
built,  but  on  evidences  which  demand  to  be  handled 
as  all  other  testimony  when  in  honest  search  for  the 
truth.  Nevertheless,  when  people  avow  ignorance 
and  inability  to  make  any  showing  to  the  contrary, 
their  sneers  and  jeers  are  to  their  own  discredit 
and  shame,  and  their  plea  against  the  presentation 
is  itself  a  'disqualification  for  the  giving  of  any 
judgment  in  the  matter. 

The  Southern  Cross. 

But  the  writer  last  referred  to  makes  one  point 
of  legitimate  attack  which,  if  it  could  be  main- 
tained, would  be  of  some  weight  against  the  pres- 
entations of  this  book.  The  following  is  the  state- 
ment in  full  in  which  this  point  is  made : 

"  Dr.  Seiss  is  not  consistent  with  himself.  His 
theory  requires  him  to  stick  to  the  ancient  signs. 
It  is  only  those  that  issue  from  the  deep  antiquity 
back  of  the  Theban  Tables,  about  which  our  ignor- 
ance is  vast  enough,  to  give  room  to  unfold  the 
wings  of  his  spacious  argument.  The  unknown- 
prophet  theory  will  not  work  for  constellations  whose 
recent  origin  discloses  the  fact  that  there  was  no 
prophet  of  any  kind  in  the  case.  The  Southern 
Cross  is  one  of  these.     The  stars  that  form  it  are 


464  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

in  the  heavens,  but  there  is  nothing  said  about  the 
constellation  in  Ptolemy  or  in  the  Theban  Tables. 
But  it  is  too  inviting  a  constellation  for  Dr.  S.  to 
resist  the  temptation  to  use  it.  Accordingly,  he 
shifts  his  ground  from  the  map  to  the  heavens,  lets 
the  unknown  astronomer  prophet  who  impressed  the 
eternal  record  on  the  Zodiac  go,  and  proceeds  to 
interpolate  the  Southern  Cross  into  the  record  on 
its  own  merits." — N.  Y.  Independent,  Sept.  7,   1882. 

The  author  of  the  above  extract  also  wrote  and 
published  an  attack  on  The  Gospel  in  the  Stars  some 
months  before  it  was  in  print — before  he  had  seen  a 
line  of  it  except  the  statement  on  the  publisher's 
prospectus.  This  is  mentioned  to  show  with  what 
sincerity  and  earnestness  he  is  concerned  to  get  at 
and  set  forth  the  truth  on  this  subject.  Still,  if  he 
finds  a  fair  objection,  it  is  due  that  it  should  have  a 
fair  hearing  and  be  fairly  met. 

Now,  it  is  true  that  the  constellation  of  the  South- 
ern Cross  is  designated  and  used  in  this  book  (pp. 
98-104)  as  the  first  Decan  of  Libra,  just  as  the 
Northern  Crown  is  given  as  the  third  Decan  of  the 
same  sign ;  but  it  is  not  true  that  either  the  one  or 
the  other,  or  any  constellation  used  in  this  attempted 
reading  of  the  stars,  belongs  to  those  fabrications  of 
conceit,  flattery,  and  self-will  which,  in  more  recent 
times,  have  been  thrust  into  the  celestial  charts. 

It  is  also  true  that  the  Southern  Cross,  as  a 
separate  constellation,  does  not  appear  in  the  list 
of  Hipparchus  repeated  in  the  Almagest  of  Ptolemy, 
and  that  it  came  for  the  first  time  into  modern  atlases 


THE   SOUTHERN  CROSS.  465 

in  Royer's  Celestial  Chart,  published  in  1679,  whence 
it  has  been  erroneously  ascribed  to  him  as  his  own 
invention.  These  facts  had  not  been  overlooked, 
and  it  is  a  very  superficial  acquaintance  with  the 
history  of  the  matter  which  would  take  them  as 
proving  this  constellation  one  of  tnose  which  have 
been  obtruded  into  the  celestial  maps  in  modern 
times. 

The  reason  why  it  does  not  appear  in  the  list  of 
Hipparchus  and  Ptolemy  is  obvious.  That  list  was 
intended  to  give  only  what  was  verified  by  practical 
observation,  and  none  of  the  constellations  are  in- 
cluded but  such  as  the  makers  of  it  could  see  and 
identify  in  the  heavens.  But  the  Southern  Cross 
in  their  day  had  sunk  by  the  precession  of  the 
equinox  so  far  into  the  south  as  to  be  scarcely 
visible  any  more  from  the  latitudes  in  which  their 
observations  were  made.  Some  of  the  stars  of  the 
Southern  Cross  are  embraced  in  the  list,  as  they 
could  then  be  seen  hanging  low  down  on  the 
southern  horizon ;  but  the  constellation,  as  such, 
was  invisible,  and  so  its  higher  stars,  which  could 
be  seen,  were  assigned  to  the  constellation  Centau- 
ries, immediately  over  the  Southern  Cross,  while  the 
Southern  Crown  was  put  in  to  fill  out  the  tradi- 
tional number  in  place  of  the  Cross,  which  these 
observers  could  not  find. 

It  is  plain,  however,  that  the  Southern  Crown — 
Corona  Australis — was  not  one  of  the  great  old 
original  forty-eight  signs.  It  is  far  inferior  to  any 
one  of  them,  having  no  star  above  the  fifth  magni- 

2  E 


466  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

tude,  and  no  meaning  anywhere  to  be  discovered. 
It  is  totally  destitute  of  all  mythological  place, 
history,  or  tradition.  It  is  situated  near  where  the 
Southern  Cross  was  expected  to  be,  and  because 
that  could  not  be  found  and  identified,  this  seeming 
Crown  was  substituted  for  it,  and  the  Cross  dropped 
out  as  mythic  and  having  no  real  existence.  None 
of  the  authorities  on  the  primeval  constellations 
mention  it,  and  Aspin  says  it  is  an  invention  of 
the  later  times. 

Ptolemy  himself  also  confesses  that  in  the  tables 
and  charts  presented  by  him  liberties  were  taken 
to  change  figures  and  the  places  of  stars  in  them. 
He  says  : 

"  Multis  ego  in  locus  accommodatiora  ipsis  figu- 
ris  attribuentes  vocabula,  priscorum  usum  immu- 
tavimus,  sicut,  verbi  gratia,  figuras  quas  Hipparchus 
in  humeris  Virginis  locat,  nos  in  costis  ejus  sitas 
esse  dicimus,  quoniam  distantia  earum  ad  Stellas 
quae  in  capite  sunt  major  apparet,  quam  ad  eas  quae 
in  extrematibus  manuum  collocantur,  hoc  autem 
sicut  et  costis  accomodatur." 

Two  things  appear  from  this  statement.  The 
one  is  that,  for  aesthetic  reasons,  changes  were  made 
in  the  figures,  etc.  of  the  constellations,  and  hence 
that  we  are  not  to  look  to  these  charts  as  faithfully 
presenting  in  full  all  the  old  forms  of  the  astro- 
nomical signs.  The  other  is  of  still  more  conse- 
quence touching  the  point  in  question,  and  that  is, 
the  clear  and  distinct  acknowledgment  that  neither 
he    nor    Hipparchus    were    the    inventors    of    these 


THE  CROSS  AN  aNCIENT  SIGN.  467 

signs,  and  that  a  system  of  them,  covering  the 
whole  visible  heavens,  existed,  and  was  held  to  be 
of  unquestioned  authority,  unknown  origin,  and 
unsearchable  antiquity  in  his  day.  Whether,  there- 
fore, the  Southern  Cross  belongs  to  the  ancient 
forty-eight  constellations  or  not  cannot  be  deter- 
mined from  its  absence  from  the  Ptolemaic  tables, 
as  that  can  argue  nothing  for  or  against  the  asser- 
tion that  it  does  so  belong,  apart  from  other  show- 
ings. 

The  Cross  one  of  the  Ancient  Signs. 
Other  and  more  decisive  showings,  however,  are 
not  wanting.  Ulugh  Beigh,  about  two  centuries 
before  Royer,  Aben  Ezra,  about  four  centuries  be- 
fore Royer,  and  Albumazer,  about  eight  centuries 
before  Royer,  all  three  give  this  south  polar  con- 
stellation as  named  and  designated  in  the  most 
ancient  astronomy  as  one  of  the  Decans  of  Libra. 
Albumazer  and  Aben  Ezra  give  it  with  the  accom- 
panying statement  that,  according  to  the  old  tradi- 
tions and  accounts,  it  was  in  the  form  of  a  cross. 
They  likewise  give  its  name  as  Adorn,  which  means 
cutting  off,  the  boundary,  the  lowest  limit,  as  the  last 
letter  of  the  old  Oriental  alphabets  was  tan,  and 
always  written  in  the  form  of  the  cross.  Ulugh 
Beigh  also  gives  its  name  in  the  old  Coptic,  where 
he  says  it  was  called  Sera,  which  Birch  says  means 
victory,  triumph  by  a  great  conflict.  All  this  quite 
agrees  with  the  death  of  "  the  Seed  of  the  woman  " 
on  the  cross. 


468  THE    GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

Unlike  Hipparchus  and  Ptolemy,  these  men  were 
not  giving  the  constellations  as  then  to  be  seen  and 
identified  on  the  heavens,  but  as  handed  down  in 
the  most  ancient  astronomical  traditions.  If  they 
had  been  describing  from  their  own  observations, 
they  would  also  have  had  to  omit  the  Southern 
Cross  from  their  charts,  for  it  was  not  visible  in 
their  days  in  their  latitudes,  and  will  not  be  again 
for  thousands  of  years,  until  it  comes  around  to  its 
ancient  place  by  the  completion  of  the  precessional 
cycle.  They  spoke  from  the  ancient  records  and 
traditions,  which  it  was  their  aim  to  present,  and 
they  all  claim  to  give  faithfully  and  truly  what  had 
thus  been  transmitted  from  the  earliest  times.  Chris- 
tians they  were  not,  neither  had  they  any  liking  for 
Christianity,  and  there  is  nothing  whatever  to  induce 
suspicion  that  they  did  not  report  the  facts  as  they 
found  them. 

These  authorities  ought  to  be  sufficient  upon  the 
point ;  but  it  is  not  all  to  indicate  that  the  constel- 
lation of  the  Southern  Cross  has  come  down  "  from 
the  deep  antiquity  back  of  the  Theban  Tables." 

Calculating  back  on  the  precessional  cycle  for  the 
position  of  this  sign  in  the  period  when  these  signs 
were  invented,  we  find  that  it  was  then  conspicuous- 
ly visible  in  all  the  north  temperate  zone  at  a  con- 
siderable elevation,  rendering  it  nearly  as  conspicuous 
as  Orion  now.  It  is  made  up  of  four  of  the  most 
brilliant  stars  in  the  south  polar  heavens.  Another 
so  lustrous  a  group  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  that 
field  of  sky.     The  pre-eminent  glory  and    remark- 


THE  CROSS  AN  Ah  CTENT  SIGN.  4^9 

able  lustre  of  this  group,  as  then  visible  from  the 
banks  of  the  Euphrates  and  that  region,  put  it  out 
of  the  question  that  it  could  or  would  have  been 
overlooked  or  left  out  in  the  making  up  of  any 
complete  system,  intended  for  any  purpose,  em- 
bracing all  the  most  illustrious  stars  then  and 
there  visible.  And  yet  it  must  have  been  thus 
overlooked  and  left  out  if  we  are  to  discredit  the 
clear  traditional  record  of  its  having  been  one  of 
the  original  forty-eight  constellations. 

Standing  as  it  then  did  at  about  sixteen  degrees 
above  the  horizon  at  meridian,  it  gradually  sunk 
toward  the  south  pole,  until  its  highest  star  was 
last  visible  in  the  latitude  of  Jerusalem  about  the 
time  the  Saviour  reached  the  lowest  limit  of  His 
passion  and  yielded  up  His  life  upon  the  cross. 
It  cannot  be  seen  now  except  in  latitudes  far  down 
to  the  southward. 

When  Americus  Vespucius  was  on  his  southern 
voyages,  more  than  a  hundred  years  before  Royer's 
chart  was  made,  and  his  eyes  beheld  the  brilliant 
stars  of  the  Southern  Cross,  he  congratulated  him- 
self on  having  rediscovered  what  had  been  for  so 
many  ages  lost  except  to  mythic  fable,  and  boasted 
of  having  seen  what  had  not  been  seen  by  civilized 
man  till  then  except  by  the  first  of  the  human  race. 
He  it  was  who  pointed  cut  in  Dante's  Purgatorio 
that  remarkable  passage,  which  he  claimed  to  be 
a  description  of  the  Southern  Cross : 

"  To  the  right  I  turned,  and  fixed  my  mind 
On  the  other  pole  attentive,  when  I  saw 
40 


47°  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Four  stars  ne'er  seen  before  save  by  the  ken 
Of  our  first  parents.     Heaven  ol  their  rays 
Seemed  joyous.     O  thou  northern  site  !   bereft 
Indeed,  and  widowed,  since  of  these  deprived  !" 

Gary's  Dante,  Purg.,  canto  i. 

Ventura  wonders  at  this  description,  particularly 
as  the  Southern  Cross,  to  which  the  words  and  al- 
lusions so  admirably  fit,  had  not  yet  been  rediscov- 
ered in  Dante's  time.  But  Cary  very  properly  sug- 
gests that  "from  long  tradition  the  real  truth  might 
not  have  been  unknown  to  our  poet;"  and  adds 
that  M.  Artaud  mentions  a  globe  constructed  by 
an  Arabian  in  Egypt,  with  the  date  of  the  year  622 
of  the  Hegira  (corresponding  to  1225  of  our  era), 
in  which  the  Southern  Cross  is  positively  marked" 
Von  Humboldt  thinks  he  also  saw  this  constella- 
tion on  Arabian  globes.  It  certainly  was  not  trans- 
ferred from  Royer's  chart  to  these  globes,  though 
Royer  may  have  incorporated  it  from  some  Orien- 
tal source  or  tradition,  confirmed  as  it  had  become 
in  his  day  by  various  navigators  and  travellers  who 
had  looked  upon  it  and  found  it  to  be  a  reality  and 
not  a  mere  myth. 

Dupuis  also  gives  it  as  an  ancient  tradition  that 
this  south  polar  constellation  was  lost,  and  that 
whensoever  it  would  again  be  found  it  would  be 
found  to  be  in  the  form  of  a  cross. 

Albumazer,  in  his  enumeration  of  the  Decans, 
including  the  Southern  Cross,  says,  "  They  were 
known  all  over  the  world,"  and  considered  of  sa- 
cred prophetic  significance. 


THE  CROSS  AN  ANCIENT  SIGN.  \J\ 

Humboldt  refers  to  the  fact  that  the  ancient 
Persians  celebrated  a  feast  of  the  cross  a  few  days 
.before  the  sun  entered  Aries,  which  was  the  time 
of  year  when  the  Southern  Cross  was  highest  and 
most  brilliant  in  their  skies.  He  also  speaks  of  the 
modern  Persians,  Kaswini,  and  Mohammedan  as- 
tronomers as  searching  for  crosses  in  the  signs  of 
the  Dolphin  and  the  Dragon  (the  Southern  Cross 
having  disappeared  below  the  southern  horizon),  in 
order  to  account  for  this  ancient  sacred  festival 
Restore  that  constellation  to  its  ancient  position 
and  all  is  adequately  explained,  as  well  as  the 
uses  made  of  the  sign  of  the  cross  and  its  asso- 
ciations and  significations  in  the  mythologies  of 
ancient  Egypt,  India,  Mexico,  and  of  other  primi 
tive  peoples. 

According  to  Albumazer,  the  Persians  called  this 
Decan  of  Libra  by  the  name  of  Arbedi,  which  car- 
ries with  it  the  sense  of  covering,  and  so  would 
wonderfully  well  coincide  with  the  purpose  of  the 
death  upon  the  cross  accomplished  in  the  fulness 
of  time  by  the  Virgin-born  Redeemer  predicted 
and  promised  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

From  all  this  it  is  made  amply  evident  that  the 
author  of  this  book  does  not  at  all  "  shift  his 
ground "  when  taking  in  the  Southern  Cross  as 
part  of  the  grand  evangelic  record  inscribed  upon 
the  heavens,  and  that  he  does  not  "  interpolate  "  the 
primeval  constellations,  but  gives  them  in  their  un- 
mutilated  intergrity,  when  he  gives  the  Southern 
Cross  as  one  of  them. 


472  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Dr.  Seyffarth. 

One  writer  speaks  disparagingly  of  the  author 
of  this  book  for  "  taking  Seyffarth  as  his  guide  in 
Egyptology."  The  assertion,  however,  has  not 
the  slightest  foundation  in  fact.  Dr.  SeyfTarth's 
astronomically-founded  opinion  on  the  age  of  the 
Zodiac  (p.  59),  and  his  curious  presentation  of  the 
astronomical  reference  in  the  placement  and  order 
of  the  letters  in  the  alphabet  (p.  63),  are  referred 
to,  but  these  particulars  are  no  essential  part  of  the 
argument.  They  are  only  coincident  with  it.  Dr. 
SeyfTarth  is  not  the  basis  or  "  guide "  for  any 
Egyptological  facts  or  doctrines  cited,  or  for  any- 
thing else  vitally  entering  into  the  presentations 
of  this  book,  although  he  is  no  mean  authority  in 
matters  of  archaeological  science  and  astronomical 
calculations.  He  has  done  more  solid  work  per- 
haps than  three-fourths  of  the  men  of  whom  more 
general  notice  is  taken.  Here  is  an  extract  from 
the  London  Times  (Dec.  31,  1859)  which  may 
serve  to  show  that  he  is  no  fool  in  these  things  : 

"  Professor  Mitchell  in  his  lectures  on  astronomy 
said  that  not  long  since  he  had  met  in  the  city  of 
St.  Louis,  in  Missouri,  a  man  of  great  scientific  at- 
tainments who  for  forty  years  had  been  engaged 
in  Egypt  deciphering  the  hieroglyphics  of  the  an- 
cients. This  gentleman  stated  to  him  that  he  had 
lately  unravelled  the  inscriptions  on  the  coffin  of  a 
mummy  now  in  the  British  Museum,  and  that  by 
the  aid  of  previous  observation   he  had  discovered 


LANGUAGE  AND  WRITING.  473 

the  key  to  all  the  astronomical  knowledge  of  the 
Egyptians.  The  Zodiac,  with  the  exact  position 
of  the  planets,  was  delineated  on  the  coffin,  and  the 
date  to  which  they  pointed  was  the  autumnal  equi 
nox  in  the  year  b.  c.  1722,  or  nearly  four  thousand 
years  ago.  Professor  Mitchell  employed  his  assist- 
ants to  ascertain  the  exact  position  of  the  heavenly 
bodies  belonging  to  our  solar  system  on  the  equinox 
of  that  year,  1722  b.  c,  without  having  communicated 
his  object  in  so  doing;  the  calculations  were  made, 
and,  to  his  astonishment,  on  comparing  the  work 
with  the  statements  of  his  friend  already  referred 
to,  it  was  found  that  on  the  7th  of  October,  1722 
b.  c,  the  moon  and  planets  had  occupied  the  exact 
positions  in  the  heavens  marked  upon  the  coffin  in 
the  British  Museum." 

This  gentleman,  so  tested  and  complimented  by 
Professor  Mitchell,  was  none  other  than  G.  Seyffarth, 
Ph.  D.,  D.  D.,  quoted  in  this  book,  and  so  unwar- 
rantably sneered  at  by  the  Boston  Literary   World. 

The  Origin  of  Language  and  Writing. 
Another  writer  argues  that  the  author  of  this 
book  is  quite  innocent  of  "  recent  researches  in 
philology  and  palaeontology,"  and  shows  "  a  very 
primitive  faith "  in  coolly  asserting  that  language 
and  writing  are  as  old  as  the  human  family.  It  is 
hard  to  tell  what  this  assailant  means,  unless  he  be 
a  believer  in  what  Carlyle  calls  "  the  Gospel  of 
dirt,"  which  considers  man  a  sort  of  natural  evolu- 
tion from  slime  and  slimy  things  through  all  stages 


474  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

of  reptihan,  animal,  and  savage  life  in  successive 
unknown  and  unknowable  ages.  If  so,  the  great 
difference  between  him  and  this  book  is,  that  it 
appeals  to  positive  facts,  records,  and  memorials 
(see  Lect.  xvL,  on,  "  Primeval  Man "),  whilst  he 
rests  on  a  conceit  of  agnosticism  which  has  not 
one  positive  fact  to  which  to  appeal  that  can  at  all 
be  admitted  as  legitimate  proof  of  what  he  avers 
and  accepts. 

The  Bible  and  all  records  and  traditions  of  primi- 
tive man  attest  the  beginning  of  our  race  with  Adam, 
and  show  that  he  was  the  most  divinely  favored  and 
the  most  perfect,  intelligent,  and  divine  man  that 
ever  did  live,  save  the  second  Adam,  the  glorious 
"  Seed  of  the  woman,"  the  great  Redeemer  of 
the  world. 

There  is  evidence  that  Adam  spoke  and  wa^ 
spoken  to,  and  that  things  he  said  and  that  were 
said  to  him  were  preserved  and  made  matters  of 
transmission  to  subsequent  generations.  Then  cer- 
tainly there  was  language  from  the  beg-innine — 
language  fixed  and  comprehensible  to  others  be- 
sides himself,  the  same  as  language  now.  To  deny 
this  is  to  contradict  the  whole  record.  He  did  not 
learn  this  language  from  parents  or  contemporaries, 
for  they  did  not  exist.  It  necessarily  was  the  gift 
of  God,  immediate  and  direct.  Fix  it  as  we  will, 
it  was  a  miracle,  the  same  as  his  own  being.  And 
if  God  gave  Adam  the  use  of  spoken  language,  it 
was  a  mere  fraction  of  the  wonderful  endowment 
to   give  also   the   idea  and   means   of  writing  what 


LANGUAGE  AND  WRITING.  47$ 

he  could  speak  and  so  well  understood.  The  very 
supernatural  enlightenment  which  gave  him  the 
intelligent  use  of  language  was  itself  sufficient  to 
suggest  to  him  the  writing  of  it  and  the  making 
of  records  of  it — the  representation  of  it  to  the  eye 
as  well  as  to  the  ear. 

We  know  that  Adam  called  things  by  names, 
and  those  names  described  the  true  nature  and 
qualities  of  the  things  to  which  they  were  applied. 
What  he  called  them  they  were  and  were  called. 
Here  was  at  once  the  highest  science,  and  the  fixed 
linguistic  embodiment  of  that  science.  The  heaven- 
ly bodies  came  before  him  the  same  as  creatures  and 
objects  on  the  earth.  He  must  therefore  have  named 
them  also,  and  named  them  as  truly  as  he  named 
ether  things.  Something  of  astronomy  would  thus 
necessarily  be  born  of  him.  And  the  evidence  now 
amounts  next  thing  to  demonstration  that  the  Zo- 
diac, the  constellations,  and  the  naming  and  designa- 
tions of  the  principal  objects  displayed  in  the  heav- 
ens date  back  to  Adam's  time.  In  this  we  have  re- 
corded pictorial  and  vocable  language,  and  connect- 
ed with  a  perfection  of  astronomic  science  which 
remains  as  the  true  and  indestructible  basis  of  all 
that  we  possess  in  that  department  even  to  this 
present.  How,  then,  can  it  be  questioned  that 
both  language  and  writing  existed  in  Adam's 
time  ? 

All  "  the  recent  researches  in  philology  and  pa- 
laeontology "  go  to  confirm  the  Bible  doctrine  on 
this  subject;  and  that  doctrine,  as  old  John  W'eemes 


476  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

has  drawn  it  out  (in  the  second  part  of  his  Christian 
Synagogue,  1633),  is,  that  "God  made  Adam  to  have 
perfect  knowledge,  both  of  God  and  His  creatures ;" 
"  Man  in  his  first  estate  had  the  first  principles 
created  in  him  of  all  sciences  and  liberal  arts, 
whereby  he  might  understand  the  nature  of  the 
creatures  here  below,  and  so  learn  by  them.  As 
he  was  the  father  of  all  living,  so  he  was  the  father 
of  all  science ;  for  as  he  was  able  to  beget  children, 
so  he  was  able  to  teach  his  posterity ;"  "  He  had 
the  knowledge  of  all  things  that  might  be  known ;" 
"Adam  knew  as  much  as  was  in  the  creatures ;" 
"  Man  in  his  innocent  estate  excelled  all  that  ever 
were  in  the  knowledge  of  natural  things ;"  "  He 
had  the  knowledge  of  all  the  liberal  sciences ;" 
"Adam  knew  all  arts  and  sciences ;  therefore  Phil- 
osophy is  not  an  invention  of  the  heathen,  for  it 
came  first  from  Adam  to  the  Patriarchs,  and  so  hath 
continued  still  "  (pp.  91-96). 

All  this  necessarily  involved  the  use  of  language 
— how  to  speak  it,  how  to  embody  thought  in  it, 
how  to  represent  it  to  the  eye  as  well  as  to  the 
ear,  and  hence  how  to  make  records  of  it.  We 
know  positively,  from  the  inscriptions  on  stones, 
tiles,  cylinders,  and  seals  recently  exhumed  in  Chal- 
dea  and  Assyria,  that  alphabetic  writing,  engraving, 
and  the  preservation  of  knowledge  in  phonetic  signs 
not  only  existed,  but  were  in  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation and  common  use,  full  two  thousand  years 
before  Christ,  and  date  back  close  to,  if  not  within, 
the  lifetime  of  Noah.     Some  of  these  exhumations 


LANGUAGE  AND  WRITING.  477 

are  parts  of  dictionaries,  grammars,  and  presenta- 
tions with  regard  to  the  science  of  language,  as 
well  as  accounts  of  the  Creation,  of  the  facts  in 
the  earliest  history  of  the  race,  of  the  Zodiac  and 
its  accompanying  circles  of  other  constellations,  of 
the  Flood  and  the  Babel  disaster,  of  the  forms  of 
agreement  and  contract  respecting  lands  and  chat- 
tels, and  the  recording  of  them  as  well  as  elaborate 
poems.  And  with  this  demonstration  before  our 
eyes,  and  these  records  in  tangible  and  readable 
form  in  our  possession  from  such  indisputable  an- 
tiquity, there  is  no  escape  from  the  conclusion  that 
alphabetic  writing  dates  back  to  the  lifetime  of 
Noah,  and  that,  existing  and  employed  in  his 
day,  it  must  have  come  with  him  from  the  other 
side  of  the  Flood.  Noah  lived  and  conversed  with 
Methuselah,  and  Methuselah  lived  and  conversed 
with  Adam  ;  so  that  there  was  but  one  lifetime 
between  Noah  and  Adam.  And  if  Noah  used  al- 
phabetic writing,  as  we  may  be  sure  he  did,  then 
there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  he  brought 
it  from  the  time  of  Methuselah,  who  lived  before 
the  death  of  Adam,  from  whom  all  the  race  has 
most  likely  received  it,  as  he,  through  his  pre-emi- 
nent illumination,  from  God. 

The  learned  George  Stanley  Faber,  in  the  second 
volume  of  his  Origin  of  Pagan  Idolatry,  devotes  a 
chapter  (v.)  to  the  many,  widespread,  and  almost 
universal  early  traditions  of  certain  sacred  books 
and  writings  made  by  the  antediluvian  Patriarchs, 
and    one    way   and    another    preserved    during   the 


478  THE    GOSPEL   IN   THE   STARS. 

Flood  for  the  instruction  of  the  descendants  of 
those  elected  to  survive  it.  He  thinks  these  tradi- 
tions certainly  traceable  to  a  period  anterior  to  the 
building  of  the  Tower  of  Babel,  and  that  they  attest 
a  common  belief  at  that  time  in  the  existence  of 
writings  as  old  as,  or  even  older  than,  the  Deluge — 
a  belief  which  could  hardly  have  found  entrance 
into  men's  minds  if  there  had  been  no  basis  of 
truth  at  the  bottom  of  it.  There  must  have  been 
writing  then,  or  there  could  have  been  no  thought 
of  writing  done  before  the  Flood  ;  and  if  there  was 
writing  then,  there  is  every  reason  to  conclude  that 
there  was  writing  from  the  beginning,  and  that  it 
came  to  the  first  man  from  God  among  the  rest 
of  his  equipments  for  the  commencement  of  a  high, 
civilized,  and  perfect  human  society  and  life. 

And  with  all  this  before  us  we  ought  to  be  pre- 
pared to  have  some  respect  to  Dr.  Seyffarth's  sum- 
mation of  the  results  of  modern  archaeological  in- 
vestigations when  he  says  :  "  It  is  currently  main- 
tained that  our  alphabet  was  not  invented  until  1 500 
b.  c.  by  the  Phoenicians  ;  now,  it  has  been  clearly 
proved  that  there  have  existed  an  alphabet  and  books 
since  the  time  of  Seth,  more  that  a  thousand  years  be- 
fore the  Deluge  ;  that  all  the  alphabets  in  the  world 
had  their  origin  from  one  and  the  same  primitive 
alphabet ;  that  our  alphabet  was  transmitted  through 
Noah,  and  so  arranged  as  to  express  the  places  of 
the  seven  planets  in  the  Zodiac  at  the  termination 
of  the  Deluge. — According  to  a  venr  generally 
received    opinion,   the   hieroglyphics  of  the  Egyp- 


LANGUAGE   AND    WRITING.  479 

tians  or  the  cuneiform  characters  of  the  Persians, 
Medes,  and  Assyrians  were  the  first  of  all  written 
characters  ;  now  it  is  ascertained  that  all  these  and 
similar  written  characters  have  the  Noachian  alpha- 
bet of  twenty-five  letters  for  their  basis. — Hitherto 
a  great  number  of  Indo-maniacs  have  maintained 
that  the  original  language  had  been  the  Indo-Ger- 
manic,  a  sort  of  Sanskrit ;  now  it  is  known  that  all 
the  languages  in  the  world  are  derived  from  the 
old  Hebrew  original  language,  as  the  very  names 
of  the  antediluvian  letters  among  the  different  na- 
tions, and  the  language  of  the  ancient  Egyptians, 
prove. — According  to  Letronne  and  others,  our  Zo- 
diac had  its  origin  only  five  hundred  years  before 
Christ;  now  we  know  that  it  is  as  old  as  the  human 
iace}  and  that  it  passed  through  Noah  to  all  the 
nations  of  his  posterity. — Hitherto  it  has  been  sup- 
posed that  the  earliest  and  innumerable  astronomi- 
cal observations  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  referred 
to  already  by  Diodorus  Siculus,  had  utterly  disap- 
peared from  the  sphere  of  human  knowledge ;  now 
we  know  that  several  hundreds  of  them,  extending 
down  to  the  Roman  emperors  and  back  to  Menes, 
2781  b.  c,  have  been  preserved  upon  the  Pyramids, 
in  temples,  on  sarcophagi,  stellae,  and  papyrus- 
scrolls."  (See  his  Summary  of  Recent  Discoveries, 
New  York,   1857.) 

It  may  also  be  added,  in  passing,  that  an  enor- 
mous ship,  greater  than  the  Great  Eastern,  was 
built  before  the  Flood.  It  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty  years  in  building.     It  served  to  weather  the 


480  THE    GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

turbulence  of  an  ocean  world.  But  how  was  it 
possible  practically  to  carry  out  the  work  of  con- 
structing such  a  vessel  without  the  use  of  a  fixed 
system  of  measures,  or  without  the  use  of  figures, 
drawings,  and  an  established  and  comprehensible 
order  of  notations  which  the  workmen  could  read 
and  refer  to  ?  Will  those  who  deny  the  existence 
of  writing  before  the  Flood  give  the  solution  of  the 
problem  ?  The  successful  building  of  such  a  struc- 
ture is  itself  a  demonstration  that  Noah  could  write 
and  that  the  antediluvians  could  read. 

Science  and  the  Constellations. 

The  question  has  been  put :  "  If  this  theory  be 
true,  how  is  it  that  the  inspiration  does  not  fit  in 
with  the  Copernican  centre  instead  of  the  Ptole- 
maic ?"  It  has  also  been  objected  that  "  the  in- 
disputable facts  of  science  are  obstacles  to  such  a 
belief  as  that  of  Dr.  S. — obstacles  which  he  has 
scarcely  made  an  attempt  to  overcome,  and  to  which 
he  is  very  likely  indifferent." 

It  may  be  laid  down  as  an  ethical  axiom  that  no 
man  has  the  right  to  be  indifferent  to  "  indisputable 
facts,"  whether  of  science,  religion,  or  the  common 
affairs  of  life.  Nor  is  the  author  of  this  book  in- 
different to  any  "  facts  of  science  "  having  in  them 
the  element  of  settled  truth.  But  no  such  facts 
are  known  to  him  to  impose  a  bar  to  the  acceptance 
of  his  explanation  of  the  origin  and  meaning  of  the 
ancient  constellations,  or  to  negative  the  astronomy 
on   which    they  are  based.      Any   objection  to  be 


SCIENCE   AND    THE    CONSTELLATIONS.      48 1 

raised  on  the  ground  here  indicated  can  be  raised 
with  equal  force  against  the  Scriptures  and  against 
the  popular  almanacs  which  modern  science  itself 
puts  forth  for  the  use  of  mankind,  and  which  are 
accepted  on  all  hands.  The  astronomy  of  the  an- 
cient constellations  is  all  embraced  in  the  astronomy 
of  to-day,  and  belongs  to  the  fixed  verities  of  that 
noble  science.  There  is  nothing  in  the  astronomy 
of  the  primitive  constellations  at  variance  with  the 
truths  of  the  so-called  Copernican  system,  or  else 
it  would  be  impossible  for  the  Copernicans  of  to- 
day to  accept  and  embody  it  in  their  science,  as 
they  all  do.  Neither  is  there  anything  in  this 
primitive  record  to  identify  it  with  the  elaborate 
and  exploded  errors  of  the  Ptolemaic  system,  or 
any  other  which  failed  to  accept  the  present  doc- 
trine of  centres  of  gravitation  and  that  the  earth 
and  planets  revolve  around  our  sun.  And  if  it  notes 
the  sun  as  one  of  the  exalted  travellers  that  seem  to 
move  across  the  face  of  the  sky,  and  to  connect  no- 
tations with  these  apparent  motions,  it  is  in  full 
accord  with  universal  observation,  with  all  the  al- 
manacs, with  the  diction  of  the  Bible,  and  with  the 
ordinary  statements  of  astronomers  themselves.  We 
all  accept  the  same  in  our  common  language  every 
day.  Although  we  know  the  scientific  facts,  that 
does  not  alter  the  appearances  to  the  eye  or  our 
way  of  speaking,  or  furnish  a  basis  for  any  better 
popular  representation.  Only  for  the  sake  of  the 
manifestation  to  the  eye  of  the  beholder'  is  the  sun 
thus  numbered  with  the  other  travellers  in  the  pic- 
41  2  F 


4^2  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

torial  readings  attached  to  the  heavenly  orbs.  And 
it  is  the  only  way,  indeed,  in  which  the  sun  can  be 
used  for  such  a  purpose,  no  matter  what  the  scien- 
tific facts  may  be. 

Neither  does  such  a  notation  of  the  apparent 
motions  of  the  sun  to  an  earthly  beholder  argue 
ignorance  of  the  real  astronomical  truth.  It  is  a 
great  error  to  suppose  that  no  true  knowledge  of 
the  real  structure  of  the  solar  system  or  of  the 
universe  existed  before  the  time  of  Pythagoras, 
Copernicus,  Kepler,  Galileo,  and  Newton.  On  this 
point  hear  the  testimony  of  Sir  William  Drum- 
mond. 

"T/ie  fact  is  certain"  says  he,  "that  at  some  re- 
mote period  there  were  mathematicians  and  astron- 
omers who  knew  that  the  sun  is  in  the  centre  of  our 
system,  and  that  the  earth,  itself  a  planet,  revolves 
•around  the  central  fire;  who  attempted  to  calculate 
the  return  of  comets ;  who  indicated  the  number 
of  solar  years  contained  in  the  great  cycle  by 
multiplying  a  period  (variously  called  in  the  Zend, 
the  Sanskrit,  and  the  Chinese,  Ven,  Van,  and  Phen) 
of  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  by  another  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  years  ;  who  took  the  paral- 
lax of  the  sun  by  a  method  superior  to  that  of 
Hipparchus,  and  little  inferior  to  our  own;  -who 
fixed  with  considerable  accuracy  the  distance  ol 
the  moon  and  the  circumference  of  the  earth  ;  who 
held  that  the  face  of  the  moon  was  diversified  with 
vales  and  mountains ;  who  asserted  that  there  was 
a  planet  beyond  Saturn ;  who  reckoned  the  planets 


SCIENCE   AND    THE    CONSTELLATIONS.      483 

to  be  sixteen  in  number ;  and  who  calculated  the 
length  of  the  tropical  year  within  three  minutes  of 
the  true  time.  All  the  authorities  for  these  asser- 
tions are  stated  in  my  Essay  on  the  Science  of  the 
Egyptians  and  CJialdeans, 

"  There  is  nothing,  then,  improbable  in  the  report 
of  Josephus  when  he  says  that  the  descendants  of 
Seth  were  skilful  astronomers,  and  seems  to  ascribe 
to  them  the  invention  of  the  cycle  of  which  Cassini 
has  developed  the  excellence.  The  Jews,  Assyrians, 
and  Arabians  have  abundance  of  traditions  concern- 
ing the  antediluvian  astronomical  knowledge,  espe- 
cially of  Adam,  Seth,  Enoch,  and  Ham.  It  was 
asserted  in  the  book  of  Enoch,  as  Origen  tells  us, 
that  the  constellations  in  the  time  of  that  patriarch 
were  already  named  and  divided.  The  Arabians 
say  that  they  have  named  Enoch  Edris,  on  account 
of  his  learning. 

"  That  the  invention  of  the  Zodiac  ought  to  be 
attributed  to  the  antediluvians  may  appear  to  some 
a  rash  and  idle  conjecture;  but  I  shall  not  renounce 
this  conjecture  merely  because  it  may  startle  those 
who  never  thought  of  it  before.  Tradition  has  told 
several  of  the  Oriental  nations  that  the  antediluvian^ 
were  eminently  skilled  in  astronomy  ;  and  tradition 
has  generally  some  foundation  in  truth.  When 
Bailly  undertook  to  write  the  history  of  astronomy, 
he  found  at  the  outset  certain  fragments  of  science 
which  proved  to  him  the  existence  of  a  system  in 
some  remote  age  and  anterior  to  all  regular  history, 
if  we  except  the  fragment  in  the  book  of  Genesis. 


484  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

As  all  the  emblems  in  the  similarly  divided  Zodiacs 
of  India,  Chaldea,  Bactria.  Arabia,  Egypt  are  nearly 
alike,  it  would  seem  they  had  followed  some  com- 
mon model ;  and  to  whom  should  we  attribute  its 
invention  but  to  their  common  ancestors  ?"  (On  the 
Zodiacs  of  Esne  and  Denderah,  pp.  38-40.) 

Drummond  was  once  a  skeptic.  In  his  earlier 
work,  CEdipus  Judaicus,  he  treated  the  Scriptures 
with  much  disrespect.  But  when  he  came  to  search 
into  the  originals  of  human  history  and  science,  and 
to  investigate  the  remains  of  early  antiquity,  he  came 
to  the  convictions  above  expressed,  and  in  the  essay 
quoted  gives  full  confidence  to  the  biblical  records. 
And  the  conclusions  to  which  he  came  respecting 
the  mathematical  and  astronomical  knowledge  of  the 
ancients  have  since  his  time  received  abundant  con- 
firmation. 

Goodsir,  in  his  Homilies  on  Ethnic  Inspiration, 
takes  the  ground  that,  as  it  is  unnatural  and  rash 
to  suppose  that  God  never  taught  any  of  the  human 
race,  nor  led  any  of  them  to  see,  during  those  early 
generations,  the  scientific  truth  respecting  these  won- 
drous creations  of  His  own  that  shine  in  the  heavens, 
so  there  is  solid  reason  to  believe  that  some  were  so 
led,  and  were  taught  .s^/ra-scientifically  those  things, 
and  that  there  is  proof  of  it  now  which  all  who  are 
willing  to  investigate  will  find  as  clear  as  the  noon- 
day sun. 

One  part  of  this  proof  he  finds  in  the  great  Pyra- 
mid of  Egypt,  the  first,  greatest,  most  perfect,  and 
most  scientific  building  now  upon  the  face  of  the 


SCIENCE   AND    THE   CONSTELLATIONS.      485 

earth,  and  constructed  certainly  more  than  four 
thousand  years  ago.  By  the  scientific  labors  of 
many  within  the  last  twenty  years  it  has  been  as- 
certained and  clearly  demonstrated  that  there  is  in 
the  measures,  pointings,  form,  and  features  of  that 
great  primeval  monument,  whosoever  built  it  and 
for  whatever  purpose,  a  massive  and  indestructible 
stone  memorial  of  a  complete  and  faultless  know- 
ledge of  the  structure  of  the  universe,  of  the  exact 
and  physical  sciences  both  terrestrial  and  cosmical, 
a  determination  of  a  perfect  system  of  weights  and 
measures  scientifically  conformed  to  what  the  Opifex 
Mundi  fixed  in  things  when  he  fetched  a  compass 
round  the  worlds  and  weighed  the  hills  in  balances. 
Scientific  investigation  on  the  part  of  different  men 
competent  to  the  task  have  made  it  clear  that  there 
is  built  into  that  edifice  a  record  of  the  condition  of 
the  starry  heavens  at  the  time  of  its  erection  which 
gives  its  age  by  astronomy  in  full  accord  with  all 
external  indications  and  evidences ;  also  a  record  of 
the  size,  form,  and  weight  of  the  earth  and  its  rela- 
tion to  and  distance  from  the  sun,  the  true  length 
of  the  solar  year,  the  number  of  years  in  the  pre- 
cessional  cycle,  the  average  temperature  of  the  hab- 
itable world,  together  with  multitudinous  cosmical 
facts  and  mathematical  formulas  and  proportions  no 
better  told  by  any  science  now  existing  among  men. 
Nay,  more,  says  this  author :  "  The  unquestionable 
and  remarkable  coincidences  between  the  structure 
of  the  Great  Pyramid  and  astronomical  facts  find  an 
exact  place  amongst,  and  give  consistency  and  form 

4i* 


486  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE   STARS. 

to,  what  may  be  called  a  collection  of  astronomical 
and  physical  traditions,  the  whole  of  which,  in  the 
result,  corroborates  the  standard  chronology  and 
history  of  the  race."  (See  my  book,  A  Miracle  in 
Stone.) 

The  demonstration  is  thus  before  our  eyes,  open 
to  every  one's  examination,  that  there  was  a  true 
scientific  astronomy  anterior  to  Herodotus,  the  fa- 
ther of  modern  history,  and  before  Hesiod  and  Ho- 
mer, which  took  the  Zodiac  and  the  constellations 
as  an  essential  part  of  it,  whose  teachers  and  pro- 
fessors were  no  more  Ptolemists  or  Jasperites  than 
the  Newtons  and  Herschels  of  modern  times,  and 
who  possessed,  and  could  architecturally  embody 
for  the  reading  of  the  long  after  ages,  as  pure  an  1 
sound  a  knowledge  of  the  heavens  as  any  who  have 
lived  since  our  astronomy  has  cast  off  the  swaddling- 
clothes  of  its  babyhood.  The  evidence  is  here  that 
those  who  invented  the  constellations  and  made  the 
most  of  them,  and  noted  the  apparent  motions  of 
the  sun  with  other  travellers  of  the  circuit  of  the 
heavens,  were  as  good  Copernicans  as  Copernicus 
himself  thousands  of  years  before  Copernicus  was 
born,  and  who  were  favored  with  a  vastly  broader 
and  deeper  insight  into  the  economy  of  the  universe 
than  Copernicus  ever  dreamed  of.  No  power  or  in- 
telligence of  man  to-day  can  convict  them  of  igno- 
rance in  any  point  as  to  any  "  indisputable  facts  of 
science."  Their  work  has  come  down  to  us  through 
long  intervening  ages  of  darkness,  superstition,  and 
apostasj',  so  superior  to  the  after  intelligence  of  the 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  CONSTELLATIONS.   4S7 

race  that  it  was  no  longer  in  human  power  so  much 
as  to  understand  it  until  the  advances  made  within 
the  last  few  centuries.  And  just  in  proportion  as 
solid  science  grows  and  comes  to  fixed  results  do 
these  primeval  lights  loom  up  as  the  very  kings  of 
mind,  whose  sublime  comprehension  of  Jehovah's 
works  we  are  only  beginning  to  approximate.  In 
five  thousand  years  the  world  has  not  been  able  to 
go  beyond  them  in  these  matters.  They  knew  "  the 
indisputable  facts  of  science,"  and  with  that  science 
and  to  that  science  they  framed  the  constellations, 
whatever  else  they  meant  to  record  by  the  names, 
figures,  and  explanations  which  they  attached  to 
them  as  they  present  themselves  to  human  obser- 
vation. 

The  Bible  and  the  Constellations. 

One  reviewer  just  quoted  makes  the  further  point : 
"  If  these  constellations,  in  their  names,  etc.,  with  all 
their  mythological  associations,  mean  what  the  au- 
thor claims  for  them,  how  strange  that  we  have  no 
intimation  of  it  in  the  Scriptures !" 

This  exclamation  is  meant  to  indicate  an  argument, 
but  it  is  an  argument  which  makes  unwarranted  as- 
sumptions, and  rests  on  a  11011  sequitur  for  its  conclu- 
sions. If  there  were  no  mention  at  all  of  the  constel- 
lations in  the  Bible,  that  silence  might  perhaps  still 
admit  of  explanation,  and,  whether  explainable  or 
not,  it  still  would  not  follow  that  inspired  men  had 
nothing  to  do  with  them.  But  it  is  not  true  that  the 
Scriptures  are  totally  silent  touching  the  existence, 


488  THE    GOSPEL    IN    THE    STARS. 

origin,  intent,  and  meaning  of  the  constellations,  as 
will  presently  be  shown,  although  direct  biblical  allu- 
sions to  the  subject  are  not  numerous. 

Approaching  the  matter  solely  from  the  side  of 
what  we  rest  on  as  the  record  of  all  that  God  has 
revealed  concerning  His  plan  of  grace,  it  is  natural 
to  feel  a  little  surprise  that  the  Bible  does  not  more 
appeal  to  and  rest  on  the  older  record  of  the  same 
things  in  the  constellations.  But  a  closer  contem- 
plation of  the  peculiarities  of  the  case  shows  that  we 
should  not  be  thus  surprised  even  though  the  theory 
of  this  book  be  thoroughly  and  unmistakably  true. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  all  the  books  of  the 
Bible,  with  the  exception  of  the  book  of  Job,  were 
primarily  and  most  immediately  intended  for  the 
children  of  Israel,  as  the  giving  of  these  books  was 
exclusively  to  and  through  that  people.  The  entire 
calling  and  mission  of  Israel,  its  peculiar  and  em- 
phatic segregation  from  all  other  peoples,  and  its 
special  training  and  development  for  a  particular 
purpose  in  the  divine  plan,  thus  necessarily  come 
into  the  question  and  furnish  an  important  element 
in  reaching  a  correct  answer  to  it.  Whatever  might 
tend  to  obscure  or  diminish  the  broad  lines  of  sepa- 
ration between  Israel  and  the  other  portions  of  the 
human  family,  was  against  the  call  of  Abraham,  and 
hence  was  to  be  avoided  by  all  true  Israelites.  In 
every  possible  direction  we  observe  the  utmost  pre- 
caution to  keep  Israel  in  complete  isolation.  Not- 
only  in  religious  observances,  but  in  the  entire  law, 
ceremonial,  civil,  domestic,  even  to  the  minute  details 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  CONSTELLA  TIONS.  489 

of  dietetics,  there  was  a  studied  fencing  off  of  this 
people  from  all  other  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  The 
observance  of  these  laws,  the  worth  of  which  in  some 
instances  cannot  otherwise  be  traced,  was  the  test  of 
their  loyalty.  Nothing  in  common  with  the  rest 
of  the  world  was  regarded  with  favor  or  could  law- 
fully be. 

Now,  it  is  a  matter  of  scriptural  record  that  there 
was  a  primeval  revelation  of  the  Gospel  made  to  man 
immediately  after  the   Fall.     It   must  have  been  a 
very  clear  and  full  revelation,  or  it  could  not  have 
sufficed  for  the  comfort  and  saving  of  the  early  patri- 
archs.    The  New  Testament  is  specific  in  telling  us 
that   there   were    inspired    prophets    from    the  very 
foundation  of  the  world,  and  that  what  they  taught 
and  prophesied  was  precisely  that  which  has  been 
or  is  yet  to  be  fulfilled  in  and  through  Christ.    (See 
Luke  1  :  69,  70  and  Acts  3:21.)    This  Gospel  neces- 
sarily went  abroad  with   the   multiplication   of  the 
race,  first  through  all  the  antediluvian  generations, 
and  then  through  and  from  Noah  to  all  his  descend- 
ants.    Above  all,  if  the  first  prophets — Adam,  Seth, 
and  Enoch — did  connect  the  truths  of  the  primitive 
revelation  with  astronomy,  and  hung  the  full  record 
of  the  Gospel  promise  upon  the  stars  by  means  of 
the  pictures  and  names  in  the  constellations,  it  neces- 
sarily was  the  common  possession  of  all  the  early 
nations,  as  we  find  from  the  traditions  and  records 
which  have  been  preserved   that  the   constellations 
were.     There  was  then  what  we  might  call  the  prim- 
itive Ethnic  Revelation — the  original  divine  Gospel 


49°  THE    GOSPEL   IN  THE   STARS. 

— whose  line  went  out  through  all  the  earth  for  all 
people  alike. 

Through  the  working  of  the  depravity,  perverse- 
ness,  and  consequent  deterioration  of  the  descend- 
ants of  Noah  that  Gospel  became  greatly  obscured 
and  lost.  Even  the  records  and  illustrations  of  it 
which  the  ancient  prophets  had  inscribed  upon  the 
sky,  through  the  evil  genius  of  Nimrod  and  the 
seductions  of  the  great  enemy  of  souls  had  become 
almost  universally  prostituted  to  idolatry  and  degrad- 
ing superstition,  just  as  the  brazen  serpent,  which 
Moses  made  by  divine  direction,  was  prostituted 
among  the  Israelites.  Sabaism,  the  worship  of  the 
figures  of  the  constellations,  and  the  turning  of  these 
celestial  signs  into  instruments  of  fortune-telling  and 
an  impious  astrology,  had  arisen  upon  what  holy 
hands  by  sacred  impulse  had  connected  with  the 
stars  as  God's  promise  of  salvation  through  the 
Seed  of  the  woman.  The  very  sacredness  of  the 
thing  was  a  power  to  help  on  the  accursed  perver- 
sion. And  thus  in  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God  it  was  ordained  to  select  and  train  a  separate 
and  distinct  people  to  be  the  depository  of  a  re-enun- 
ciation of  His  plan  and  promises  of  grace,  and  out 
of  whom  to  develop  the  chosen  Servant  of  God  who 
was  to  bring  the  great  salvation.  That  people  was 
Israel,  and  that  Servant,  the  inmost  centre  of  Israel, 
was  the  Christ. 

In  this  new  start  of  the  kingdom  of  God  it  was 
needless — and  would  have  really  been  a  weakening 
of  the  whole  procedure — to  appeal  to  the  old  ethnic 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  CONSTELLATIONS.   49 1 

records,  which  had  become  so  abused  and  perverted 
to  that  very  state  of  things  which  the  new  start  was 
meant  to  offset  and  remedy.  It  was  enough  to  take 
the  old  promise  as  it  had  been  given  at  the  first,  to 
recognize  the  prophetic  character  of  those  to  whom 
it  was  given,  and  who  found  in  it  their  hope  and 
their  salvation,  and  to  reannounce  and  re-embody 
that  promise  in  special  forms  among  a  people  chosen 
and  separated  for  the  purpose.  And  just  this  is  what- 
was  done,  in  which  there  was  no  occasion  whatever 
to  make  appeal  to  what  the  heathen  had,  and  had  so 
terribly  perverted,  or  to  mix  up  the  common  posses- 
sion of  the  world  with  the  training  of  a  people  called 
to  be  separate  in  all  things  from  all  others.  As  we 
cannot  conceive  of  Christ  enforcing  His  teachings 
by  appealing  to  the  sayings  and  opinions  of  heathen 
sages  who  lived  before  Him,  however  true  they  may 
have  been,  and  as  we  would  feel  it  strange  if  Moses 
had  sought  to  intensify  faith  in  his  laws  and  precepts 
by  showing  that  they  accorded  with  "  all  the  wisdom 
of  the  Egyptians,"  so  it  would  have  been  incongru- 
ous in  the  Israelitish  prophets  to  appeal  to  the  Chal- 
dean astronomers  to  supplement  or  support  their 
predictions  of  "  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  the  glory 
that  should  follow,"  however  truly  the  same  things 
may  have  been  set  forth  in  the  constellations. 

The  Jewish  people  were,  moreover,  so  prone  to 
take  up  with  the  worst  idolatries  of  the  nations 
around  them,  even  with  all  the  precautions  and 
stern  laws  to  prevent  it,  that  it  would  have  increased 
and  facilitated  that  proclivity  had  their  sacred  proph- 


49 2  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ets  mixed  up  with  their  instructions  any  prominent 
references  to  what  was  so  deeply  interwoven  with  all 
the  living  idolatries  of  the  time.  For  this  reason  it 
perhaps  was  that,  in  the  Jewish  Zodiac,  all  the  figures 
were  expunged  and  the  letters  of  the  Hebrew  alpha- 
bet substituted  in  their  place.  It  was  to  guard  against 
ethnic  idolatries,  all  of  which  were  more  or  less  con- 
nected with  the  constellations,  which  the  nations  had 
utterly  perverted  from  their  true  meaning  and  intent. 

The  whole  condition  of  things  in  the  general  world, 
and  the  whole  intention  with  regard  to  the  Israelitish 
people,  thus  come  in  to  show  that,  however  truly  the 
Gospel  may  have  been  set  forth  in  the  original  in- 
vention of  the  constellations,  it  would  have  been  a 
hazardous  and  very  unfitting  thing  for  the  Hebrew 
prophets  to  make  their  appeal  to  the  ancient  astron- 
omy, which,  by  the  depravities  of  men,  had  become 
the  chief  foundation  of  the  idolatries,  false  worships, 
auguries,  and  astrologies  then  so  dreadfully  debas- 
ing the  entire  world  around  them. 

So  far,  then,  as  respects  the  sacred  books  issuing 
from  the  Jewish  prophets,  there  is  every  reason  to 
expect  little  or  no  reference  to  the  ethnic  records  of 
the  primeval  revelations.  The  simple  absence  of  any 
condemnation  of  the  constellations,  then  held  sacred 
by  all  the  nations,  and  so  much  perverted  by  them, 
is  more  marvellous  than  the  absence  of  appeals  to 
them  as  records  of  the  original  promise  of  a  Re- 
deemer to  come.  It  argues  that  in  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit  there  was  still  some  reserve  with  regard  to 
that  system  as  not  a  thing  of  mere  human  invention 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB.  493 

or  to  be  denounced  with  heathenism  in  general. 
The  particular  purpose  of  the  call  of  Israel  had  no 
special  use  for  that  system,  and  too  much  regard  to 
it  would  have  so  militated  against  that  calling  that 
the  wonder  is  that  the  Jewish  prophets  never  once 
assail  it  or  speak  one  word  against  it,  even  while 
burdened  with  messages  of  the  wrath  and  punish- 
ment of  God  upon  heathenism  and  idolatry.  Had 
that  system  been  nothing  but  an  outgrowth  of  the 
wild  imaginations  of  man,  incorporated  as  it  was 
with  the  false  religions  then  dominating  over  all  the 
world,  it  is  next  thing  to  impossible  to  explain  why 
it  was  not  pre-eminently  singled  out  for  prophetic 
malediction ;  and  any  recognition  of  it  at  all  in  the 
prophetic  books,  as  connected  with  a  proper  under- 
standing of  things,  is  a  powerful  consideration  in 
favor  of  its  prophetic  origin  and  sacred  intent. 


The  Book  of  Job. 

The  book  of  Job,  however,  did  not  originate  with 
the  Jewish  prophets.  It  was  written  before  Israel's 
time  and  outside  of  the  Israelitish  race.  Though  by 
inspiration  adopted  into  the  list  of  the  Hebrew  canon 
prepared  by  the  special  inspiration  of  God,  it  belongs 
to  the  ethnic  records  of  the  primeval  revelations,  and 
embodies  the  sacred  light  and  truth  of  those  revela- 
tions as  received,  held,  and  exemplified  in  its  time 
by  the  purest  and  truest  of  the  ethnic  believers.  It 
is  a  sort  of  encyclopaedia  of  the  faith,  life,  thinking, 
worship,  and  wisdom  of  God's  people  before  Moses 

42 


494  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

and  outside  of  Israel.  As  an  ethnic  book  divinely- 
inspired  we  would  expect  to  find  in  it  references  to 
whatever  belonged  to  the  ethnic  records  and  teach- 
ings respecting  the  true  God  and  the  Redeemer  that 
was  promised,  including  the  system  of  the  constella- 
tions, if  indeed  that  system  was  of  primitive  prophetic 
origin  and  meant  to  record  and  illustrate  the  Gospel 
as  first  revealed  to  man.  In  such  a  book,  from  such 
a  source  and  age,  and  with  such  an  object,  we  would 
certainly  expect  to  find  allusions  to  these  frescoes  on 
the  heavens  if  they  be  what  is  affirmed  of  them  in 
these  Lectures.  Nay,  the  absence  of  such  allusions 
here  would  necessarily  argue  either  that  no  such 
system  as  that  of  the  constellations  existed  in  Job's 
time,  or  that,  if  existing,  it  had  nothing  whatever  to 
to  do  with  the  revelations  and  promises  of  God. 

In  this  particular  instance  the  argument  suggested 
by  our  reviewer  would  apply  in  full  force,  and  would 
be  next  thing  to  conclusive  against  our  theory,  if 
there  were  no  intimations  in  the  book  of  Job  as  to  its 
reality.  But  what  we  hardly  should  expect  in  the 
Jewish  prophets  we  do  find  here  in  this  exhibit  of 
the  pure  ethnic  faith  and  piety.  At  least  five  of  the 
principal  constellations  are  referred  to  by  name  in 
the  book  of  Job  : 

I.  "Arcturus"  (Azs/i),  which  nearly  all  the  best 
commentators,  Jewish  and  Christian,  take  as  denot- 
ing the  north  polar  constellation  now  known  under 
the  name  of  Ursa  Major,  the  Great  Bear  (chaps.  9  :  9 
and  38:32). 

?..  "Orion"  so  named  by  Homer  hundreds  of  years 


THE    BOOK   OF  JOB.  495 

before  the  time  of  the  earliest  Greek  philosophers, 
and  called  Kesil  in  chaps.  9  :  9  and  38  :  31. 

3.  Taurus,  by  its  centre  and  chief  mark,  "The Plei- 
ades" (Kimah),  the  Seven  Stars  (chaps.  9  :  9  and 
38  :  32).  The  Arabians,  according  to  Hafiz,  considered 
the  Pleiades  the  seal  or  seat  of  immortality.  Maedler, 
in  modern  times,  from  observations  of  the  motions 
of  the  so-called  "  fixed  stars,"  has  pointed  out  the 
centre  of  this  group  (Alcyone)  as  the  great  central 
Sun  of  the  universe,  around  which  all  others  revolve. 
In  all  the  ancient  myths  and  traditions  this  group 
of  stars  plays  a  most  conspicuous  part,  and  is  ever 
associated  with  benignity  and  blessedness.  And 
"  the  sweet  influences  of  Pleiades  "  are  here  referred 
to  after  the  same  manner,  as  perhaps  embodying  the 
universal  centre  of  gravitation  as  well  as  ushering  in 
the  genial  spring. 

4.  Scorpio,  the  constellation  directly  opposite  to 
Taurus,  described  in  the  English  version  as  "  the 
chambers  of  the  south  (chap.  9:9).  That  the  refer- 
ence is  to  some  asterism  of  the  same  sort  as  the 
three  with  which  it  is  named  it  would  be  arbitrary 
to  doubt.  Some  think  it  refers  to  such  of  the  con- 
stellations as  were  hidden  below  the  southern  hori- 
zon in  the  time  and  latitude  of  Job  ;  but  the  definite- 
ness  in  the  three  preceding  references  would  seem 
to  require  that  we  should  take  this  as  equally  defi- 
nite. The  mention  of  a  house  to  the  south,  over 
against  the  Pleiades,  would  call  for  a  particular  Zodi- 
acal constellation,  which  would  necessarily  be  Scor- 
pio.    Aben  Ezra,  E.  S.  Poole,  and  others  translate  it 


496  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

Scorpio,  and  so  Dr.  Hales,  Dr.  Brinkley,  President 
Gouget,  and  M.  Ducoutant  take  it,  and  calculate  the 
age  in  which  Job  lived  from  these  notations. 

5.  Hydra,  "The  Fleeing  Serpent"  (chap.  26:  13). 
The  best  interpreters  agree  that  the  reference  here 
must  be  to  one  of  the  constellations  ;  and  of  all  the 
stellar  serpents  there  is  no  one  to  answer  the  descrip- 
tion so  completely  as  the  vast  constellation  of  Hydra. 

This  gives  two  signs  of  the  Zodiac  and  three  other 
constellations.  But  the  Zodiac  as  a  whole,  with  its 
succession  of  signs  and  seasons,  is  recognized  and 
spoken  of:  "  Canst  thou  bring  forth  MazzarotJi  in 
his  season?" — in  the  margin,  "The  Twelve  Signs!' 
Rosenmuller,  Herder,  Umbreit,  Gesenius,  and  many 
others,  with  the  Jewish  authors  at  their  head,  under- 
stood by  it  nothing  more  nor  less  than  signa  cclestia, 
the  celestial  signs — "The  Zodiac!'  The  word  means 
the  separated,  set  apart,  divided,  apportioned,  as  the 
spaces  given  to  the  twelve  signs  in  the  circle  of  the 
Zodiac,  and  which  mark  the  successive  seasons  in 
the  year.  Selden  informs  us  that  in  later  Jewish 
writings  Mazzalbtli  are  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  and 
the  singular,  Mazzal,  is  used  to  denote  signs  singly. 
Mazzalbth  is  the  same  in  later  Hebrew  that  Mazza- 
rotJi was  in  the  more  ancient  forms.  Everything 
about  it  goes  to  confirm  the  rendering  in  the  mar- 
gin of  our  English  Bibles,  and  to  prove  that  the 
Zodiac  with  its  twelve  distinct  spaces,  signs,  or 
houses,  bringing  forward  the  seasons  in  their  succes- 
sion, is  what  is  meant. 

And  with  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac  recog- 


THE    BOOK  OF  JOB.  407 

nized,  and  three  of  the  Decans  besides,  the  whole 
system  of  the  constellations  is  necessarily  implied 
and  included,  while  the  entire  showing  is  directly 
associated  with  the  work,  majesty,  and  glory  of 
God. 

Nay,  the  book  speaks  of  a  general  garnishing  of 
the  heavens,  which  would  imply  that  there  was  a 
dividing  off  of  the  whole  face  of  the  sky  into  groups 
and  pictures,  just  as  we  find  in  the  ancient  constella- 
tions (see  chap.  26  :  13).  Barnes  finds  in  this  garn- 
ishing the  "pictures  of  the  heavens,  with  a  somewhat 
fanciful  resemblance  to  animals,  etc.,  one  of  the  most 
early  devices  of  astronomy  still  continued  as  aiding 
in  the  description  of  the  heavenly  bodies."  Nor  is 
there  any  adequate  reason  for  taking  the  reference 
in  any  other  way. 

Thus  it  clearly  appears  that  the  constellations  were 
known  and  determined  in  Job's  time,  and  that  they 
were  well  understood  and  much  in  view  in  the  sacred 
contemplations  of  the  believers  of  that  age. 

But  the  record  goes  still  farther.  This  garnishing 
of  the  heavens,  this  grouping  of  the  stars  in  pictures 
on  the  face  of  the  sky,  is  here  affirmed  and  claimed 
to  be  the  zvork  of  God  Himself  by  His  Spirit.  The 
declaration  concerning  the  Lord  of  Creation  and 
Providence  is :  "  By  His  Spirit  He  garnished  the 
heavens  ;  His  hand  hath  formed  the  crooked  [fleeing] 
serpent"  (chap.  26:  13).  There  is  here  the  ancient 
poetic  parallelism,  giving  the  general  statement  in 
one  line  and  the  repetition  of  the  same  in  particular 
in  the  next.     The  intimation  is  not  that  the  forming 

42  2  G 


49$  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

of  the  fleeing  serpent — Hydra — is  a  thing  separate 
and  distinct  from  the  garnishing  of  the  heavens,  but 
that  it  is  a  specimen  of  that  sacred  garnishing,  that 
we  may  determine  and  know  from  a  specific  part 
what  is  the  true  character  of  the  whole.  The  sub- 
ject is  t-he  formation  and  arrangement  of  the  figures 
of  the  constellations ;  and  that  work  is  unqualifiedly- 
ascribed  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  prophetic  inspira- 
tion— the  same  as  the  biblical  records  are  ascribed  to 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

This  gives  us  scriptural  evidence  that  the  most 
approved  and  pious  of  the  old  ethnic  believers  con- 
sidered and  interpreted  the  constellations  as  from 
God,  and  as  containing  a  sacred  record  of  great  con- 
sequence and  worth  in  connection  with  their  faith 
and  hopes.  And  it  is  thus  more  than  likely  that 
from  the  stars,  as  much  as  from  any  other  records 
and  traditions,  Job  derived  that  triumphant  evangelic 
confidence :  "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and 
that  He  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  : 
and  though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body, 
yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  :  whom  I  shall  see 
for  myself,  and  my  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  an- 
other; though  my  reins  be  consumed  within  me" 
(Job  19:  25-27). 

Now,  this  book  of  Job,  with  these  presentations  in 
it,  has  become  a  part  of  the  canon  of  Holy  Scripture, 
certainly  not  without  inspired  sanction.  The  same 
Spirit  which  moved  the  Hebrew  prophets  has  thus 
recognized  the  ethnic  inspiration,  and  hence  also 
these  claims  with  reference  to  the  constellations.     It 


THE   HEBREW  PROPHETS.  499 

is  therefore  a  false  assumption  to  say  that  "  we  have 
no  intimation  in  the  Scriptures  "  of  what  is  sought 
to  be  shown  in  these  Lectures. 

The  Hebrew  Prophets. 

But  even  the  Hebrew  prophets,  being  moved  by 
the  same  Spirit  which  was  in  the  ancient  ethnic  be- 
lievers, have  not  been  totally  silent  touching  these 
uses  of  the  stars.  The  book  of  Genesis  is  largely  made 
up  of  early  records  held  to  be  sacred,  distorted  frag- 
ments of  which  have  come  down  through  all  the 
more  ancient  peoples  ;  and  the  quotations  of  those 
records  in  the  foundation-book  of  the  volume  of 
inspiration  appear  in  the  Bible  with  precisely  the 
same  allusions  which  attend  them  everywhere  else. 

Thus,  in  the  very  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  in  the 
account  of  the  creation  of  the  celestial  luminaries, 
there  is  a  distinct  statement  of  their  appointment 
and  uses,  including  and  specifying  one  which  can  in 
no  possible  way  be  satisfactorily  and  adequately  ex- 
plained in  fidelity  to  the  divine  Word  without  ad- 
mitting what  we  claim  for  the  ancient  system  of  the 
constellations.  It  is  there  written  that  "God  said, 
Let  there  be  lights  [luminaries,  light-bearers]  in  the 
firmament  of  the  heaven  to  divide  the  day  from  the 
night;  and  let  them  be  for  signs,  and  for  seasons,  and 
for  days,  and  for  years :  .  .  .  and  it  was  so  "  (Gen. 
I  :  14,  15). 

Whatever  this  being  "for  signs  "  may  mean,  it  is 
here  affirmed  to  be  one  of  the  intended  uses  of  the 
heavenly  luminaries.     It  is  also  included  in  the  state- 


5<X>  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

ment  that  God  is  the  author  of  that  use,  that  it  was 
instituted  and  established  by  Himself,  and,  furthei 
still,  that  said  use  was  a  matter  of  fact  at  the  time 
this  record  was  made ;  for  it  is  added,  "  It  was  so." 

It  has  been  one  of  the  standing  perplexities  of  com- 
mentators to  explain  what  this  making  of  the  heav 
enly  orbs  into  "  signs  "  can  mean,  apart  from  "  sea- 
sons," "  days,"  and  "  years  "  which  depend  upon 
their  natural  revolutions.  Admit  into  the  case  the 
divine  formation  of  the  primeval  constellations,  and 
the  whole  statement  takes  on  a  grand  meaning, 
worthy  of  so  solemn  and  magnificent  a  record  ;  but 
let  that  out,  and  our  expositors  are  all  at  sea,  with- 
out chart  or  compass,  and  without  the  possibility  of 
suggesting  anything  worthy  of  the  record  or  of  them- 
selves. In  other  words,  they  can  do  nothing  with  it 
deserving  of  serious  respect,  and  the  whole  thing  in 
this  grandest  of  all  narrations,  in  which  every  word 
is  overflowing  with  the  profoundest  meaning,  evap- 
orates into  a  bundle  of  puerile,  contradictory  and 
unverifiable  human  conceits. 

There  is  in  the  sacred  statement  an  element  of  his- 
toric fact  overlooked  by  our  commentators,  but  pre- 
senting some  clue  to  the  real  meaning.  It  is  affirmed 
that  at  the  time  of  the  making  of  the  statement  the 
use  of  the  heavenly  orbs  as  "  signs  "  existed.  The 
record  is  plain  :  God  said,  "Let  them  be  for  signs,  .  .  . 
and  it  was  so."  The  record  itself  dates  far  back  be- 
yond Moses,  for  the  same,  in  almost  the  same  terms, 
has  been  found  in  the  cuneiform  writings  made  more 
than  two  thousand  years  before  Christ.     The  same 


THE  HEBRE  W  PR  OPHE  TS.  50 1 

is  also  found  in  some  sort  traditionally  preserved 
among  all  the  primitive  peoples,  who  must  have  de- 
rived it  from  one  common  source  antedating  the 
Babel  dispersion.  It  certainly  belongs  to  the  time 
of  Noah,  who  perhaps  was  the  prophet  of  God  who 
originally  wrote  it,  and  from  whom  the  world  after 
him  received  it. 

Was  there  anything,  then,  in  Noah's  time  of  such 
note  and  sacredness  as  to  answer  to  the  statement 
of  the  actual  use  of  the  heavenly  bodies  as  a  system 
of  "  signs  "  ?  Unquestionably  there  was,  and  that 
system  was  the  system  of  the  constellations.  This 
is  not  a  matter  of  guess  or  inference,  but  a  matter  of 
positive  record  dating  back  to  Noah's  time,  and  now 
brought  to  light  in  the  exhumed  remains  of  the  an- 
cient Assyrians  and  Chaldeans.  Nay,  among  those 
remains  there  has  been  recovered  a  written  account 
of  the  Creation  answering  in  every  vital  particular  to 
the  account  in  Genesis,  and  furnishing  what  may  be 
regarded  as  the  primeval  commentary  on  the  bibli- 
cal account  of  the  creation  of  the  heavenly  orbs, 
especially  with  reference  to  the  particular  statement 
touching  their  divine  appointment  as  "  signs."  A 
translation  of  this  tablet-record  is  given  at  page  407, 
as  furnished  by  Smith  and  Sayce,  who  add  that  it 
tells  about  "  the  constellations  of  the  stars,  the  signs 
of  the  Zodiac"  etc.,  as  God's  creation,  and  that  it 
occupies  the  place  of,  and  is  equivalent  to,  the 
phrase  in  Genesis  which  speaks  of  the  forming  of 
the  heavenly  orbs  into  "  signs!'  Even  the  whole 
system  of  the    constellations    is    given  in    detail  in 


502  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

these  tablets,  and  ascribed  to  the  great  God  as  His 
work  at  the  beginning. 

This  is  the  oldest  paraphrase  of  the  words  in  Gen- 
esis known  to  man.  It  was  made  more  than  four 
thousand  years  ago.  It  agrees  with  all  the  old 
ethnic  traditions  and  beliefs.  There  is  nothing  what- 
ever to  show  that  it  is  at  all  at  variance  with  the 
truth.  It  harmonizes  with  the  literal  sense  of  the 
words  of  the  Bible,  and  corresponds  with  every  point 
they  contain  or  suggest.  And  it  must  needs  go  very 
far  to  fix  the  meaning  of  the  sacred  record  on  this 
particular  item  to  be,  that  in  appointing  the  celestial 
orbs  "for  signs  "  God  instituted  a  system  of  symbols 
and  indications  by  means  of  them  from  which  man- 
kind might  ever  read  the  revelations  of  special  divine 
importance,  and  that  this  system  is  nothing  more  nor 
less  than  the  system  of  the  constellations,  everywhere 
and  always  called  "  the  signs." 

Here,  then,  among  the  fundamental  presentation 
of  the  Scriptures,  we  have  not  only  "  intimation,"  but 
something  of  a  positive  assertion,  that  the  astronomic 
system  of  the  constellations  is  of  divine  origin,  and 
that  it  has  in  it  the  record  of  divine  revelations. 
Delitzsch  agrees  that  the  statement,  in  part  at  least, 
refers  to  the  astronomic  signs,  the  constellations. 

A  less  direct,  but  an  equally  striking,  indication 
of  the  same  thing  appears  in  the  vast  range  of  vivid 
coincidences  between  the  imagery,  symbolism,  and 
general  diction,  the  doctrines  and  the  prophecies,  of 
Holy  Scripture,  and  the  pictures,  names,  and  images 
which  appear  in  these  ancient  "  signs."     So  largely 


THE   NEW    TESTAMENT.  503 

and  so  completely  does  the  one  answer  to  the  other 
that  infidels  have  seized  upon  this  correspondence  to 
prove  that  Christianity  has  been  derived  from  the 
myths  of  the  constellations.  No  one  can  look  at  the 
texts  cited  in  this  book  in  connection  with  the  con- 
stellations, one  after  the  other,  without  being  struck 
with  the  marvellous  analogy  throughout.  But  how 
could  all  this  have  been,  or  hold  good  through  so 
vast  a  system,  except  on  the  admission  that  the  same 
God  who  has  given  us  the  Gospel  was  equally  con- 
cerned in  the  making  of  the  constellations  as  a 
grand  prophetic  record  of  what,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  should  be  accomplished  by  "  the  Seed  of  the 
woman  "  ? 

See  also  what  is  said  (p.  27-29)  on  the  nineteenth 
Psalm,  which  certainly  cannot  be  fairly  gone  through 
with  without  finding  intimation  of  a  sacred  voice  and 
record  on  the  starry  heavens  beyond  what  the  celes- 
tial orbs  can  naturally  tell  apart  from  the  system  of 
the  constellations. 

The  New  Testament. 
And  even  in  the  histories  of  the  New  Testament 
St.  Matthew  narrates  a  case  of  practical  demonstra- 
tion that  the  sublimest  elements  of  the  Gospel  rev- 
elation could  be  learned  from  the  stars,  and  were  so 
learned  by  the  Wise  Men  in  such  clear  and  convin- 
cing perfection  that  they  undertook  a  long  and  ex- 
pensive journey  to  pay  their  adoration  to  the  new- 
born King  of  grace  and  salvation.  Commentators 
talk  of  the  diffusion  of  what  was  written  by  the  He- 


504  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE   STARS. 

brew  prophets,  and  have  racked  their  brains  and  ex- 
hausted their  erudition  to  find  out  possibilities  as  to 
how  these  Wise  Men  came  to  the  amount  of  evan- 
gelic knowledge  and  faith  by  which  they  were 
moved ;  but  it  is,  after  all,  nothing  but  guesswork, 
and  an  obtrusion  into  the  record  of  what  it  does  not 
at  all  embrace  or  warrant.  The  account  is  that  the 
Magi  came  to  Jerusalem  led  by  astronomical  indica- 
tions;  hence  the  suggestion  of  anything  else  is  im- 
pertinent and  contrary  to  the  inspired  statements.  It 
is  possible  that  they  may  have  had  some  extraordi- 
nary illuminations  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  connec- 
tion with  the  matter  of  their  coming,  as  they  had  in 
connection  with  the  way  of  their  returning ;  but  the 
record  says  that  they  had  their  convictions  and  guid- 
ance from  the  stars,  and  we  have  no  right  to  inter- 
polate anything  else.  And  if  the  stars  could  so 
evangelically  enlighten  and  lead  them  as  to  the 
coming  of  the  Saviour,  His  birth  as  a  child,  His 
worshipful  nature,  the  time  and  neighborhood  of 
His  advent,  and  His  claims  upon  the  faith  of  man- 
kind, then  the  stars  must  have  upon  them  an  evan- 
gelic record  capable  of  being  read,  and  of  conduct- 
ing men  to  faith  in  Him  who  was  born  at  Bethlehem, 
crucified  on  Calvary,  and  ordained  Captain  of  salva- 
tion to  bring  many  sons  to  glory.  Hozv  the  stars 
were  made  to  fulfil  such  an  office  is  shown  in  detail 
in  this  book ;  and  that  they  actually  did  it  in  the 
case  of  these  Magi  we  have  from  the  pen  of  an  in- 
spired apostle  of  the  Church. 

There  is,  then,  no  such  silence  of  the  Scriptures 


THE    STAR   BIBLE.  505 

touching  the  origin  and  meaning  of  the  constella- 
tions, or  of  the  connection  of  evangelic  prophecy 
with  astronomy,  as  to  make  us  wonder  at  the  doc- 
trine set  forth  in  this  book  or  to  raise  a  reasonable 
suspicion  against  its  truth. 

The  Star  Bible. 

It  is  a  matter  of  interest  to  one  who  has  entered 
an  uncultivated  field,  and  who  has  come  to  import- 
ant conclusions  which  some,  for  want  of  better  in- 
formation, regard  as  wild  and  foolish,  to  find  serious 
thinkers  entering  the  same  field  and  boldly  enunci- 
ating similar  convictions.  No  man  can  advance  far 
in  the  study  of  the  mystery  of  the  constellations 
without  being  convinced  of  the  richness  and  import- 
ance of  the  subject,  or  without  a  feeling  of  wonder 
that  so  little  attention  has  been  bestowed  upon  it. 
But  antiquarian  research  has  been  showing  such 
brilliant  results  within  the  present  generation  that  it 
is  impossible  for  this  territory  to  be  left  uncultivated 
much  longer.  To  show  that  it  is  worthy  of  explor- 
ation, and  to  enlist  Christian  thinking  and  scholar- 
ship in  the  grand  possibilities  which  its  proper  inves- 
tigation is  likely  to  develop,  have  been  among  the 
chief  objects  of  this  book  ;  and  the  author  has  been 
gratified  to  find  that  a  venerable  German  pastor  was 
engaged  in  a  like  effort  contemporaneously  with 
himself. 

There  has  very  recently  come  to  hand  a  volume, 
published  in  1883,  entitled  The  Chaldean  Star-Bible ; 
or,  The  Starry  Heavens  according  to  the  Seven  Stages 
43 


506  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS 

of  the  Mithras-Mysteries  in  Seven  Spheres  as  the  Way 
to  Completion  for  Time  and  Eternity,  again  after  cen- 
turies presented  anew,  by  Rev.  George  Karch*  The 
method  adopted  by  this  writer  differs  materially  from 
that  pursued  in  The  Gospel  in  the  Stars,  and  is  quite 
too  indirect  to  produce  satisfactory  results  ;  but  it 
nevertheless  develops  much  the  same  conclusions. 
Believing  that  the  constellations  stand  in  vital  con- 
nection with  the  primitive  divine  revelations,  and 
with  the  purest  worship  of  the  ancients  anterior  to 
and  outside  of  Israel,  he  endeavors  to  trace  some 
of  the  vital  elements  of  the  old  Iranian  or  Mithras 
religion  among  various  ancient  peoples — Aryans, 
Bactrians,  Indians,  Medes,  Persians,  Magi,  etc. — and 
deduces  from  the  connection  between  this  ancient 
cult  and  the  stellar  signs  many  elements  of  the  true 
biblical  faith  and  hope  of  the  ethnic  believers.  In 
this  line  of  inquiry  he  would  naturally  reach  general 
conclusions  quite  agreeing  with  those  more  directly 
developed  in  The  Gospel  in  the  Stars.  The  book  em- 
braces forty-five  pages  of  introduction  and  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  additional  pages  of  particular 
discussion,  to  which  is  appended  a  chart  of  the  con- 
stellations. There  is  some  lack  of  thorough  elabor- 
ation in  the  way  the  argument  is  conducted,  but 
there  is  in  it  a  grasping  after  the  truth,  with  serious 

*  Die  Chaldmsche  Sternenbibel,  oder  der  Sternenhimmel  nach 
den  7  Stufen  der  Mithras-Mysterien  in  7  Gebieten  als  der  Weg  zur 
Vollendung  fur  Zeit  und  Ewigkeit  wieder  nach  Jahrhunderten  neu 
dargastellt,  von  George  Karch,  Pfarrer.  Wurzburg,  Druch  von  J.  II 
Fleischmann,  1883. 


THE   STAR   BIBLE.  50/ 

conviction  that  there  is  something  in  this  ancient 
system  of  star-pictures  of  infinitely  more  significance 
and  worth  than  the  modern  world  has  even  remotely 
suspected. 

To  show  the  beliefs  and  conclusions  of  this  writer, 
and  how  they  conform  to  and  sustain  what  we  have 
endeavored  to  set  forth,  a  few  extracts  from  different 
parts  of  the  book  are  here  translated,  which  will  be 
of  interest  to  those  who  are  disposed  to  entertain 
the  subject : 

"  Closer  examination  with  regard  to  the  constel- 
lations which  make  up  the  Ecliptic,"  he  says,  "  gives 
assurance  that  there  must  be  an  intentional  symbol- 
ization  in  the  selection  and  combination  of  the  an- 
cient pictures  of  the  star-groups.  The  very  fact  that 
many  of  these  figures  are  so  remotely  and  vaguely 
traceable  in  the  stars  themselves  bespeaks  design  in 
the  choice  and  formation  of  them,  especially  when 
we  take  in  the  pious  fancy  of  the  old  Orientals  and 
their  fondness  for  emblems  and  likenesses.  I  am  per- 
suaded that  the  starry  heavens,  according  to  the  re- 
ligious contemplations  of  the  oldest  astronomers, 
present  a  picture-gallery  of  doctrinal  and  rich  spirit- 
ual significance." 

"  Albertus  Magnus  has  written  (De  Universd)  that 
all  the  mysteries  of  the  Incarnation,  from  the  Con- 
ception on  to  the  Ascension  into  heaven,  are  shown 
us  on  the  face  of  the  sky  and  are  signified  by  the 
stars." 

"  Not  from  the  ruins  of  Nineveh,  not  from  the 
Rosetta  Stone,  but  there  in  the  heights  above  us — 


508  THE    GOSPEL    IN   THE    STARS. 

there  where  the  holy  Magi  beheld  the  Saviour's  star 
—we  find  the  primordial  record  and  testimony  of 
the  way  of  God  to  us,  and  of  our  way  back  to  God. 
It  is  there  written  on  the  heavens,  to  be  seen  and 
read  of  all  men." 

"  The  old  Persian  sphere,  as  Aben  Ezra  found  it, 
and  as  may  be  read,  according  to  Scaliger,  in  Peta- 
vius  and  Dupuis,  has  for  each  of  the  Twelve  Signs 
three  separate  figures  or  constellations — three  De- 
cans.  The  foundation  (fundamental  idea)  of  these 
three  Decans  is  given  in  general  in  the  regular  zo- 
diacal sign  to  which  they  belong  ;  but  they  give  that 
general  idea  in  different  and  special  pictures." 

"  These  old  forty-eight  constellations  all  belong  to 
one  great  hieroglyphical  system,  and  all  cohere  as 
one  original  casting.  They  have  an  enigmatic  mean- 
ing. They  are  sacred  monuments.  Rightly  under- 
stood, they  are  a  kind  of  Holy  Scriptures  in  sym- 
bolic form,  given  as  a  witness  to  all  nations,  to  aid 
and  enlighten  reason  and  to  testify  of  higher  divine 
truth." 

"As  these  star-pictures  have  a  symbolic  meaning 
of  their  own,  it  also  follows  that  many  of  the  heathen 
myths  will  be  found  to  correspond  with  them,  along 
with  other  analogies.  The  classic  myths  incontro- 
vertibly  connect  with  these  appearances  and  move- 
ments of  the  heavenly  bodies,  and,  certainly  in  their 
most  inward  meaning,  stand  related  to  these  star- 
signs  and  what  they  were  meant  to  express,  since 
they  are  the  same,  with  only  a  few  local  modifica- 
tions, among  all  peoples." 


THE   STAR   BIBLE.  509 

"  Likewise,  the  alphabet  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
embodies  a  record  and  expression  of  the  glory  of 
God,  the  same  as  it  is  written  on  the  heavens." 

This  author  speaks  of  himself  as  advanced  in  life, 
and  says  that,  being  relieved  from  other  engage- 
ments, he  considered  it  most  fitting  for  him  to  em- 
ploy his  declining  years  in  endeavoring  to  become 
better  acquainted  with  the  heavens,  and  to  do  some 
work  toward  a  better  understanding  of  the  symbol- 
ism portrayed  in  the  ancient  system  of  the  constella- 
tions— "the  beauty  of  heaven,. the  glory  of  the  stars, 
an  ornament  giving  light  in  the  highest  place  of  the 
Lord  "  (Ecclesiasticus  43  :  91). 
43* 


INDEX 


Besides  the  ordinary  indication  of  subjects,  this  Index  contains  a 
Glossary  of  the  names  which  occur  in  the  constellations  and  by 
which  particular  stars  were  anciently  called.  The  meanings  of 
these  names  are  largely  determined  by  the  ancient  Hebrew  or  Noetic 
roots  from  which  they  are  formed,  and  the  significations  are  given 
according  to  the  best  lexicons  and  philological  authorities. 


A. 

Abarbanel,  436,  439. 

Aben  Ezra,  7,  45,  46,  101,  467, 
495/5o8. 

Abraham,  God's  oath  to,  311. 

Action,  308. 

Acubene,  the  sheltering,  the  hid- 
ing-place, resting,  321. 

Adam,  258,  374,  398,  412,  474, 
483,  489- 

Adhara,  the  glorious,  302. 

Adige,  flying  swiftly,  205. 

Adom,  cutting  off.  101. 

^Esculapius,  126;  children  of, 
127;  pictured  Christ,  128. 

Al,  the  ancient  Noetic  article. 

Albertus  Magnus,  507. 

Achbiya,  the  fountain  of  pouring, 
368. 

Al  Akrab,  the  Scorpion,  wound- 
ing, conflict,  war,  117. 

Al  Azal,  the  branch,  75. 

Al  Belda,  hastily  coming,  367. 

Al  Botein,  the  treading  under 
foot,  368. 

Albumazer,  7,  23,  45,  60,  76, 
467,  470. 

Al  Chiba,  tho  curse  inflicted, 
355. 


Alcyone,  495. 

Al  Debaran,  the  Captain,  the 
Governor,  264,  369. 

Al  Deramin,  quickly  returning, 
223. 

Al  Dib,  the  reptile,  159. 

Al  Dibah,  the  slain  in  sacrifice, 
made  accursed,  368. 

Al  Dirah,  the  ill-treated,  369. 

Al  Gedi,  the  kid,  the  chosen  of 
the  flock,  324. 

Al  Genib,  who  carries  off,  250. 

Al  Giebha,  the  exalted,  346,  369. 

Al  Gol,  the  evil  spirit,  254. 

Al  Gomeiza,  burdened,  enduring 
for  others'  sakes,  307. 

Al  Gubi,  heaped  up  high,  93. 

Al  Habor,  the  mighty,  302. 

Al  Heka,  the  driving  away,  369. 

Al  Henah,  the  hurt,  the  wound- 
ed, 290,  369. 

Al  Iclil,  the  complete  submis- 
sion, 367. 

Alioth,  the  ewe  or  mother,  327. 

Al  Katd,  the  assembled,  the 
gathered  together,  324,  327. 

Al  Kalb,  the  wounding,  cleav- 
ing, 367. 

Al  Katurops,  the  Branch,  the 
rod,  84. 

511 


512 


INDEX. 


Almagest  of  Ptolemy,  464,  466. 

Al  Naim,  the  gracious,  the  de- 
lighted, 367. 

Al  Naish,  or  Annaish,  the  or- 
dered, the  assembled,  327. 

Al  Nethra,  the  treasure,  the 
possession,  369. 

Al  Okab,  wounded  in  the  heel, 
180. 

Al  Oneh,  the  weakened,  the  sub- 
dued, 254. 

Alphabet   and  Astronomy,   62, 

509. 

Al  Phard,  the  separated,  exclu- 
ded, put  away,  351. 

Al  Pherg  al  Muchaddem,  prog- 
eny cf  ancient  times,  368. 

Al  Pherg  al  Muachher,  prog- 
eny of  the  later  times,  368. 

Al  Pherkadain,  the  calves,  the 
young,  the  redeemed,  324. 

Al  Phiratz,  the  broken-down, 
228,  243. 

Al  Phirk,  the  Redeemer,  224. 

Al  Risha,  the  band  or  bridle, 
49,  220,  368. 

Al  Sad,  he  who  tears,  lays  waste, 
346. 

Al  Samaca,  the  upheld,  215. 

Al  Serpha,  the  burning,  369. 

Al  Shain,  the  bright,  the  blood- 
stained, 179. 

Al  Shaula,  the  sting,  the  deadly 
wound,  367. 

Al  Sheratan,  the  bruised,  the 
wounded,  the  cut-off,  235,  368. 

Al  Tair,  the  wounded,  the  torn, 
179. 

Al  Terpha,  the  healed,  the  de- 
livered, 369. 

Al  Thuraiya,  the  enemy  pun- 
ished, 368. 

Al  Waid,  one  to  be  destroyed, 

159. 

Al  Zimach,  the  shoot,  75. 

Al  Zubena,  the  buying  back,  re- 
demption, 92,  367. 

Al  Zubra,  the  heaped-up,  369. 


Americus  Vespucius,  469. 

Ancients,  their  knowledge,  388 
seq.,  392>  484. 

Andromeda,  49,  225  seq. ;  sym- 
bol of  the  Church  on  earth, 
228. 

Antares,  wounding,  cutting, 
tearing.  118. 

Anubis,  the  god,  307. 

Apocalypse  quoted,  29,  90,  109, 
121,  145,  148,  153,  158,  186, 
210,  227,  233,  244,  245,  256, 
265,  268,  276,  295,  298,  299, 
304,  334,  335,  348,,  353,  354, 

358,  359>  3&3- 

Aquarius,  the  Waterman,  42, 
192. 

Aquila,  the  pierced  eagle,  49, 
179,  180. 

Ara,  the  altar  of  burning,  48, 
150. 

Aratus,  132,  325. 

Arbedi,  covering,  471. 

Arcturus,  guardian  of  the  nap- 
py, 84,  494. 

Argo,  the  company  of  travellers, 
329,  330. 

Argument  of  this  book,  362, 
462;  of  skeptics,  5,  67. 

Arided,  he  shall  come  down, 
205. 

Aries,  the  Ram  or  Lamb,  43,  235, 
237,  240. 

Ark,  the,  479. 

Arnebeth,  the  hare,  enemy  ot 
the  coming,  298. 

Arrow,  the,  of  law  and  justice, 
176  seq. 

Artaud,  470. 

Arx,  Areas,  Arktos,  the  strong- 
hold of  the  saved,  325. 

Aryeh,  he  who  rends,  346. 

ASCALIUS,  76. 

Ash,  or  Aish,  the  congregation, 

327- 

Asmidiska,  the  travellers  re- 
leased, 332. 

Astarte,  198. 


INDEX. 


51? 


ASTREA,  73,  93. 

Astrology,  46,  71,  412,  490. 

Astronomers,  ancient,  60,  482, 
486. 

Astronomy,  figures  in,  3, 36— see 
Constellations;  mysteries  of, 
32;  origin  of,  34,  55,  387  ;  sys- 
tems of,  481 ;  primeval,  39  seq. 

Atik,  he  who  breaks,  249. 

Atonement,  94,  105 ;  salvation 
by,  185. 

Auriga,  the  Shepherd,  49,  279. 

Aurochs,  or  Reem,  259  seq. 

Azel,  who  goes  and  returns,  205 ; 
or  the  same  as  Al  Azal,  75. 


Baalam,  190. 

Baleus,  392. 

Bailly,  5,  59,  391,  483- 

Band,  the,  of  the  Fishes,  220;  in 
hand  of  the  Lamb,  221  ;  binds 
Cetus,  246,  280 ;  see  Al  Risha. 

Barnes,  Albert,  53,  497. 

Bashti-Beki,  the  offender  con- 
founded, 298. 

Bayle,  399. 

Bear,  the  Great,  327 ;  see  Ursa 
Major. 

Believers,  fears  of,  459;  portion 
of,  309. 

Bellatrix,  swiftly  coming,  sud- 
denly destroying,  270. 

Benet  Naish,  daughters  of  Aisk, 
328. 

Berenice's  Hair,  47,  78;  see 
Coma. 

Berosus,  171. 

Betelguese,  the  Branch  coming, 
270. 

Bethlehem,  star  of,  25,  424, 
503  ;  well  of,  442. 

Bible,  the,  only  rule  of  faith,  460; 
points  to  the  Gospel  in  the  stars, 
28,  29 ;  chief  contents  of,  29- 
31,  72,  87;  the  primitive,  64, 
460 ;  recognizes  the  u^c  of  the 
heavenly  orbs  as  "signs,"  21, 


499;  recognizes  the  constella- 
tions, 53,  494-497  ;  refers  the 
same  to  the  inspiration  of  God, 
56,  497 ;  on  the  original  man, 
47S>  as  given  to  Israel,  488; 
imagery  and  diction  of,  51,  50^ 
503. 

Blessedness,  heavenly,  285. 

Bochart,  114,  395. 

Books  before  the  Flood,  477  seq. 

Bootes,  the  coming  One,  47,  83, 
329  ;  not  a  ploughman,  84 ;  the 
great  Shepherd  and  Harveste! 
of  souls,  85. 

Branch,  the,  75. 

Brentius,  John,  196. 

Bull,  the,  263 ;  see  Taurus. 

Bundahis,  the,  on  the  origin  of 
the  Zodiacs,  406. 

C. 

Cab'd  al  Asad,  multitude  of  the 
assembled,  327. 

Cadmus,  160. 

Calisthenes,  389. 

Callisto,  328. 

Cancer,  the  Crab,  holding,  pos- 
sessing, rest  secured,  43,  312; 
myths  concerning,  320  ;  symbol 
of  the  Church,  313. 

Canopus,  the  possession  of  Him 
who  cometh,  331,  332. 

Canis  Major,  50;  see  Sirius. 

Canis  Minor,  50;  see  Procyon. 

CAPELLA,thegoat,atonement,28i. 

Caphir,  the  atonement,  propitia- 
tion, sacrifice,  367. 

Capricornus,  the  goat,  atone- 
ment, 42,  163  seq.;  myths  of, 
170;  salvation  through  atone- 
ment, 185. 

Carlyle,  473. 

Cary,  470. 

Cassini,  389. 

Cassiopeia,  the  beautiful,  the  en- 
throned, 49  ;  symbol  of  the  en- 
franchised Church  in  heaven, 
242. 


2H 


514 


INDEX. 


Castor,  the  coming  Ruler,  293, 

297. 
Caul^e,  a  sheepfold,  328. 
Cephetjs,  the  royal  Branch,  the 

King,  49,  223,  244. 
Centaurs,  the,  79. 
CENTAURUS,    the    despised,    47, 

78  seq.,   465 ;    victim    of,   47, 

104. 
Cetus,     the     sea-monster,     49, 

245. 

Chaldean  Tablets,  406,  476, 
500. 

Cheiron,  the  pierced,  80  seq. ;  a 
symbol  of  Christ,  81,  140. 

Chinese  on  the  first  man,  393. 

Christ,  the  glory  of  God,  28; 
the  Seed  of  the  woman,  30;  in 
the  myths  of  the  Gentile  world, 
66;  His  birth  of  a  virgin,  72  ; 
the  Branch,  75 ;  the  desired 
One,  77  ;  double  nature  of,  78; 
foreshadowed  in  the  story  of 
Cheiron,  80,  140;  a  Shepherd, 
83  ;  pictured  in  Virgo,  85  ;  pays 
the  ransom  price,  94  seq. ;  en- 
dured the  cross,  100 ;  gave  up 
His  own  life,  104,  105 ;  limit 
of  His  humiliation,  108; 
crowned  in  heaven,  no;  a 
suffering  Saviour,  118;  His 
conflict  with  the  powers  of  evil, 
120;  the  great  Healer,  81,  124, 
126;  the  vanquisher  of  evil 
powers,  130  seq.;  a  triumphing 
warrior,  140  seq. ;  rejoices  the 
universe  with  His  achieve- 
ments, 144  seq. ;  the  Destroyer 
of  the  enemy,  150  seq.;  by 
death  gives  life,  163  seq.;  His 
death  and  resurrection,  173, 
182  seq.,  207;  saves  by  atone- 
ment, 185  ;  gives  the  waters  of 
life,  191 ;  pours  out  the  Holy 
Ghost,  194  seq.;  goes  forth  in 
the  gospel,  200;  carries  and 
preaches  the  cross  to  all  people, 
204   seq. ;     His    beauty,    208 ; 


gathers  and  upholds  the  Church, 
211  seq.,  222;  the  Lamb  of 
God,  235,  238;  a  glorious  King, 
223  ;  delivers  and  glorifies  His 
people,  242  ;  binds  Satan,  245  ; 
the  Breaker,  248;  the  terrible 
Judge,  262  seq. ;  the  Lion,  101, 
340-347  ;  in  judgment  remem- 
bers mercy,  279;  heavenly 
union  with  His  people,  285 
seq.;  one  with  His  Church, 
182,  292;  the  glorious  Prince, 
302;  the  victorious  Lion,  340 
seq. 

Christianity,  not  borrowed 
from  mythology,  68-70;  com- 
mercial idea  in,  94. 

Christians,  belief  of,  72-76,  78, 
81,  86  seq.,  208;  symbolized  by 
fishes,  167,  197,  211  seq. ;  trans- 
formed persons,  173,  199; 
hopes  of,  333  ;  address  to,  256; 

.  die  and  rise  in  and  with  Christ, 
173  seq.,  185. 

"  Christian  Union,"  notice  of 
this  book,  454. 

Church,  the,  rises  out  of  Christ's 
sacrifice,  164;  pictures  of  its 
development,  312-320  ;  its  two- 
foldness,  217  ;  upheld  by  Christ, 
221  ;  its  glorious  King,  223  ;  its 
state  on  earth,  225  ;  its  kingly 
character,  226 ;  its  ill  favor  with 
the  world,  230,  294;  its  illus- 
trious Deliverer,  252;  its  estate 
in  glory,  242;  one  with  Christ, 
292,296  seq. ;  its  blessed  hope, 
254;  importance  of  connection 
with,  256  seq. ;  the  beauty  of, 
244. 

"  Church  Review"  on  this 
book,  455. 

Cicero,  23,  116,  405. 

Clarke,  Adam,  24. 

Colchis,  citadel  of  reconciliation, 
239.  287,  330. 

Coma,  the  desired  One,  47,  76, 
440;  new  star  in,  432. 


INDEX. 


515 


Commentators,  perplexity  over 
Gen.  1  :  14,  15,  499. 

Conflict,  the  great,  114  seq. 

Confucius,  445. 

Conjunctions,  planetary,  434; 
Kepler  on,  435  n. 

Consistency,  463. 

Constellations,  the,  38;  the 
twelve  of  the  Zodiac,  42 ;  the 
thirty-six  Decans,  45  seq. ; 
modern  additions,  39,  40,  464; 
figures  of,  3,  36,  39,  492,  497 
(see  chart  of,  at  end  of  this  vol- 
ume) ;  are  of  sacred  signifi- 
cance, 4,  22  seq.,  507,  508; 
sum  of  their  readings,  413- 
416;  great  antiquity  of,  58-63, 
364-366,  387-404,  482,  501; 
claimed  to  be  from  God,  404- 
409,  497 ;  recognized  in  the 
book  of  job,  494  seq. ;  ordi- 
nary explanations  of,  3,  1 15, 
409  n.,  461 ;  perversions  of,  22, 
411,  490;  their  claims  to  sober 
and  reverent  regard,  64. 

Consummation,  the,  358. 

Copernicus,  481,  482,  486. 

Cornucopia,  original  of,  107. 

Corona  Australis,  465. 

Corvus,  the  Raven,  bird  of 
doom,  50,  354. 

Crab,  the,  312  ;  see  Cancer. 

Crater,  the  cup  of  wrath,  50, 
352. 

Creation,  intention  of,  19;  Chal- 
dean records  concerning,  406. 

Criticisms  on  this  book,  458  seq. 

Cross,  the,  100-104  *»  issues  in  the 
crown,  108-1 10 ;  feast  of,  471. 

Cross,  the  Southern,  47,  98, 
463;  why  omitted  by  Hippar- 
chus  and  Ptolemy,  465  ;  not  the 
invention  of  Royer,  465  ;  noted 
by  the  highest  authorities  many 
centuries  before  Royer,  467 ; 
Dante  and  Americus  Vespucius 
on,  469,  470;  Artaud,  Hum- 
boldt and  Dupuis  on,  470,  471. 


Crown,    the    Northern,    47, 

1 10;  the  Southern,  465. 
Cup,  the,  50,  352;  see  Crater. 
Cupid,  215,  216. 
Cygnus,  the  Swan,  48,  203. 
Cyrus,  445. 


Dabih,  the  hewn-down,  the  sac- 
rifice slain,  166. 

Dagon,  171. 

Dante,  469. 

Days,  of  the  week,  whence 
named,  61. 

Death,  the  price  of  redemption, 
97,  100,  104-108. 

Decans,  parts,  faces,  the  thirty- 
six,  45  seq. 

Delitzsch,  502. 

Delphinus,  the  Dolphin,  resur- 
rection, 48,  182. 

Deltoton,  the  uplifted,  235. 

Deneb,  the  Judge  to  come,  205. 

Deneb  AL  Eced,  the  Judge  com- 
ing, seizing,  taking,  346. 

Denebola,  the  Judge  swiftly 
coming,  346. 

Devil,  the  evil  one,  123 ;  binding 
of,  245;  seed  of,  120;  loose 
now,  247. 

DlODORUS  SlCULUS,  479. 

Diphda,    the     overthrown,    the 

thrust  down,  247. 
Discoveries,  sum  of  recent,  478. 
Dog,  the  greater,  299 ;  see  Sirius. 
Dog,  the  lesser,  305  ;  see  Procyon. 
Dolphin,  the,  182;  see  Delphi- 
nus. 
Draco,  the  Dragon,  the  trodden- 

on,  29,  48,  53,  154,  159,348; 

myths  concerning,  160. 
Drummond,  Sir  Wm.,  7,  60,  482. 
Dubheh,  or  Dubah,  a  collection 

of  domestic  animals,  herd,  fold, 

323,  327. 
Dubheh  Lachar,  the  later  herd 

or  fold,  327. 
Dupuis,  5,  23,  412,  470,  508. 


5i6 


INDEX. 


Eagle,  the  pierced,  179;  see 
Aquila. 

Ecliptic,  the,  40. 

Education,  New  England 
Journal  of,  notice  of  this 
book,  455. 

Egyptology,  472,  479. 

El  Acola,  the  sheepfold,  327. 

El  Asieh,  the  humble,  brought 
down,  160. 

El  Athik,  the  fraudful,  160. 

El  Kaphrah,  the  protected,  the 
covered,  the  redeemed,  327. 

El  Nath,  or  El  Natick,  wound- 
ed, slain,  235. 

End,  the,  357  seq. 

Enemy,  the  great,  120;  see  Ser- 
pent, Devil,  Satan. 

Enif,  the  sprout,  the  shoot,  201. 

Enoch,  60,  62,  376,  395,  483, 
489. 

Epictetus,  116. 

Etanin,  the  long  serpent,  160. 

Eridanus,  river  of  the  Judge,  49, 
273 ;  Daniel  and  Isaiah  on,  274, 
275- 

El^EBIUS,  171. 

Evil,  what,  22;  history  of,  348 
seq. ;  the  conflict  with,  1 14  seq. ; 
the  triumph  over,  136,  144, 152, 
157,  160;  must  be  destroyed, 
342  seq. 

F. 

Faber,  G.  Stanley,  6, 24,  66,  477. 

Fafage,  glorious,  shining  forth, 
205. 

Faith,  the,  substance  of,  29, 185, 
208,  209 ;  source  of,  460 ;  con- 
firmation of,  186,  460. 

Farrar,  437. 

Fent-Har,  the  bruiser  of  the 
Serpent,  328. 

Fish,  the  Southern,  197;  see 
Piscis  Australis. 

Fishes,  a  symbol  of  the  Church, 
211  seq.,  439;  see  Pisces. 


Fishing,  evangelic,  211. 
Fleece,   the   Golden,  239,  240, 
297,  330- 


Gale,  396,  400,  405. 
Galileo,  59,  482. 
Ganymedes,  the  bright,  the  glor- 
ified, the  happy  one,  180,  192, 

193- 

Gazette,  Fort  Wayne,  on  this 
book,  455. 

Gedi,  the  cut-off,  the  slain,  166. 

Gemini,  the  joined,  the  com- 
pleted, 43,  284,  290,  309. 

Genesis  quoted,  15,  30,  88,  145, 
198,  311,  319,  340,  378,499; 
the  Chaldean,  24,  501. 

Gentiles,  believers  among  the, 
424,  447- 

Gesenius,  496. 

Gianser,  the  punished  enemy, 
160. 

Golden  Fleece  ;  see  Fleece. 

God,  existence  of,  72 ;  glory  of, 
27;  willed  to  be  known,  19; 
hath  spoken,  26,  423  ;  forbear- 
ance of,  267 ;  oath  of,  31 1 ; 
wrath  of,  352  seq. 

Goodsir,  484. 

Gorgons,  the,  251. 

Gospel,  the  story  of,  29,  208, 
460;  preaching  of,  199-202; 
beautiful  picture  of,  208 ;  in  the 
stars,  questioners  of,  III,  458; 
of  dirt,  473. 

Grace,  heavenly,  195  ;  plentiful- 
ness  of,  196;  how  carried  and 
administered,  204. 

Grumian,  the  deceiver,  160. 

Guardian,  The,  on  this  book, 
456. 

H. 


Hafiz,  495. 
Haggai,  77. 
Hales,  496. 
Harcourt,  325. 


INDEX. 


517 


Harpocrates,  victim  of  justice, 

107. 
Heaven,  151;  life  in,  283  seq., 

311  seq. 
Heavens,  the,  not  an  unmeaning 

show,  22  seq.,  34;  garnishing 

of,  55,  497- 

Hebrews,  85,  105, 109, 184,  186, 
220. 

Helle,  329. 

Hengstenberg,  168. 

Hercules,  or  Herakles,  the  suf- 
fering Deliverer,  48,  130;  not 
understood  by  the  Greeks,  132  ; 
a  picture  of  Christ,  133  ;  most 
wonderful  character  in  myth- 
ology, 134. 

Hermes,  60,  76,  396. 

Herodotus,  487. 

Her-na,  the  enemy  broken,  355. 

Herschel,  3,  82,  486. 

Hipparchus,  432,  464. 

Holy  Ghost,  the,  193,  194; 
garnished  the  heavens,  55,  56, 
497 ;     symbolized     by    water, 

195. 
Homan,  the  waters,  201. 
Homer,  55,  126,  146,  269,  300, 

486,  494. 
Hornius,  400. 
Horses,  as  symbols,  200. 
Horus,  the   one   to  come,  106, 

171,  291. 
Humboldt,  Baron,  98,  456,  470, 

471. 
Hydra,  the  abhorred,  the  fleeing 
Serpent,  50,  53,  347,  351,  496. 

I. 

Idolatry,  origin  of,  22,  71, 490; 
Jewish  proneness  to,  491. 

Ignatius,  432. 

Ignorance  no  argument,  462. 

"  Indianapolis  Republican  " 
on  this  book,  457. 

Infidelity,  its  argument  from 
the  constellations,  67,  in;  ser- 
vices to  a  better  cause,  5,6,  71. 

44 


Infidels,  how  affected  by  this 
book,  455,  458. 

INGEMANN,  22. 

Isaiah  quoted,  66,  75,  107,  158, 
193,  200,  209,  248,  266,  267, 
270,  275,  278,  281,  304,  343, 
344,  366. 

Isocrates,  116. 

Israel,  twelve  tribes  of,  378; 
segregation  of,  488  ;  identified 
with  the  sign  of  Pisces,  439 ; 
meaning  of  their  names,  378. 

Izdubar,  legend  of,  406. 


Jason,  the  Recoverer,  the  Atoner, 

the  Healer,  330. 
Jerusalem,  the   heavenly,  382; 

meaning       of      its       jewels, 

383. 

Jesus,  the  Saviour,  208;  see 
Christ. 

Jewels  in  the  high  priest's  breast- 
plate, 378  seq. ;  in  the  founda- 
tions of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
382  seq. 

Job,  54 ;  book  of,  54,  327,  390, 
493  ;  recognizes  the  constella- 
tions, 53,  494;  asserts  their  di- 
vine origin,  56,  497. 

John  quoted,  101,  105,  162,  167, 
194,  211,  236,  257,  333. 

Josephus,  60,  395,  405,435,436, 

483. 
Judgment,  the,  262,   267,  283 ; 

prophecies    concerning,    266; 

mercy  in,  277,  282. 
Jupiter  and  Saturn,  61,  434; 

conjunctions  of,  437. 
Justification  and  Sanctifi  cation, 

95- 

K. 

Karch,  Rev.  G.,  his  Star  Bible% 

505  seq. 
Keckerman,  393. 
Kepler,  59,  435,  437,  482. 
KisSiEus,  394. 


5i8 


INDEX. 


Knem,   vanquished,    conquered, 

35i- 

Kochab,   the   star,   waiting   the 

coming,  324. 
Krishna,  102,  126. 

L. 

Lamb,  the,  43,  235;  see  Aries; 

offices  of,  236;  victory  of,  234; 

marriage  of,   295;   is  also  the 

Lion,  341. 
Language,  origin  of,  473  seq.; 

the  original,  479. 
Leo,  the  Lion,  he  that  rends,  43, 

338  ;  work  of,  342. 
Lepus,  the  Hare,  the  mad  enemy, 

5o,  298. 
Letronne,  479. 

Leviathan,  158,  246,  247,  255. 
Libra,    the   Scales  or  Balances, 

price  apportioned,  42,  90. 
Life  out  of  death,  162  seq.,  176, 

178 ;  spiritual,  173. 
Light,  17,  189. 
Lion,  the,  ^8;  see  Leo. 
Lucian,  24. 

Luke  quoted,  114,  185,  234,401. 
Lunar  Mansions,  names  of,  44, 

366  seq. 
Lunar  Zodiac,  44,  364  seq. 
Lyra,  the  Lyre  or  Harp,  the  joy 

of  the  victory,  48,  144. 

M. 

Maimonides,  87,  405. 

Midler,  495. 

Magi,  the,  25, 425  ;  opinions  con- 
cerning their  visit  to  Bethle- 
hem, 426 ;  facts  and  traditions, 
430;  following  of  the  star, 
440 ;  who  they  were,  444 ;  their 
religion,  445 ;  astronomically 
led  to  Christ,  425,  503. 

Man,  primeval,  387,  417;  best 
accounts  of,  392  seq. ;  Bible  on, 
398,  475,  476 ;  reason's  sugges- 
tions concerning,  402;  a  fallen 
being,  76,  399. 


Mansions,  Lunar,  44,  364-369. 

Marriage,  mystery  of,  198;  of 
the  Lamb,  295. 

Markab,  the  returning,  201. 

Matar,  who  causeth  plenteous 
overflow,  201. 

Matthew  quoted,  25,  283,  302, 
425,  503- 

Mazzaroth,  the  twelve  signs  of 
the  Zodiac,  390,  496;  Miss 
Rolleston's,  7. 

Medhurst,  393. 

Medusa,  the  trodden  under  foot, 
254;  decapitated  by  Perseus, 
25 1 ;  head  of,  254. 

Menes,  394,  479. 

Menestheus,  288. 

Menkalinon,  band  of  the  goats 
or  ewes,  282. 

Menkar,  the  chained  enemy, 
247. 

Merach,  the  flock,  327. 

Merodach,  the  Rectifier,  the 
Restorer,  291. 

Merops,  180. 

Messenger,  The  Reformed,  on 
this  book,  455. 

Messiah,  the  anointed,  the  sent, 
work  of,  130,  133;  royal  maj- 
esty and  glory  of,  138. 

Micah,  24S. 

Milky  Way,  the,  369 ;  constel- 
lations on,  370  seq. 

Minchir  al  Asad,  the  punish- 
ing or  tearing  of  the  waster, 
346. 

Minchir  al  Gorab,  the  punish- 
ing or  tearing  by  the    Raven, 

355- 
Minchir  al  SuGrA,  punishing  or 

tearing  of  the  deceivei,  351. 
MiRA,  the  Rebel,  246. 
Mirak,  the  weak,  rhe  helpless, 

228. 
Mirfak,  who  helps,  who  strength 

ens,  250. 
Mirzam,  the  Ruler,  302. 
Mitchell,  Prof.,  59,  472. 


INDEX. 


519 


Mizar,  the  guarded  or  enclosed 
place,  327. 

Moon,  the,  44;  orbit  of,  16; 
mansions  of,  44,  364;  some- 
times represents  the  Church, 
198. 

MORERI,  393. 

Muliphen,  the  leader,  the  chief- 
tain, 302. 
Mysteries,  the  ancient,  116. 
Myths,  the  ethnic,  66,  508. 

N. 

Nature,  28,  41,  72,  189. 

Nazareth,  301. 

Naz-Sier,  Nazir,  Naz-seir-ene, 
the  sent  Prince,  300. 

Nephele,  237  seq. ;  children  of, 
238. 

Netzer,  the  Branch,  the  princely- 
Scion,  301. 

New  Life,  174,  175,  176,  183. 

Newsdealers'  Bulletin  on  this 
book,  455. 

Newton,  60,  482,  486. 

Nibal,  the  mad,  299. 

Nimrod,  269,  490. 

Notices  of  this  book,  453  seq. 

Nouet,  391. 

O. 

Oannes,  171,  172. 

Ogilah,  going  around,  Charles's 
Wain,  324. 

Okda,  the  united,  215. 

Ophiuchus,  the  serpent-holder, 
47,  124. 

Origen,  483. 

Orion,  he  who  cometh  forth  in 
brightness,  the  swift,  the  bril- 
liant, 49,  268,  494 ;  myths  con- 
cerning, 271. 

Orpheus,  145 ;  lyre  of,  147. 

P. 

Patriarchs,  the  primeval,  33, 
392  seq.;  meaning  of  their 
names,  374  seq. ;  their  intelli- 


gence, 387  seq.,  392-401,  475, 

477-480,  482-486;  their  faith 

and  hopes,  187,  207,  402. 
Patrick,  114. 
Paul,  182;  quoted,  19,  28,  34, 

109,  149,  175,  198,  216,  225, 

268,  311,  348,  349. 
Pega,  the  Chief,  201. 
Pegasus,  48,  199. 
Pentecost,  195. 
Perseus,  the   Breaker,  49,   229, 

248;    myths  concerning,   250 ; 

a  symbol  of  Christ,  252. 
Petavius,  508. 
Phaeton,  274,  276. 
Philo,  174,  389. 
Pholas,  mediation,  82. 
Phrixus,  symbol  of  the  faithful 

Church,  239. 
Pietism,  overdone,  459. 
Pi-MENTEKON,  the  pourer-out  of 

rage,  346. 
Pisces,  the  Fishes,  43,  214. 
Piscis  Australis,  the  Southern 

Fish,  48,  197. 
Planets,  the  wanderers,  51,  57; 

conjunctions  of,  434. 
Plato,  392. 

Pleiades,  263,  265,  495. 
Plough,  the,  328. 
Pluche,   Abbe,    115,   171,  242, 

404. 
Pole-Star,  322,  325. 
Pollux,  the    Ruler,  the  Judge, 

29o,  297,  305. 
Poole,  E.  S.,  495. 
Pr;esepe,  the  bee-hive,  the  mul- 
titude, offspring,  the  young,  the 
innumerable  seed,  318. 
Presbyterian,     The,    on    this 

book,  458. 
Press,   the,   on   this  book,  453 

seq. 
Printers'     Circular    on    this 

book,  457. 
Procyon,  prince  of  the  left  hand, 
redeemed    or    redeeming,    50, 
306;  myths  concerning,  307. 


520 


INDEX. 


"  Prophetic    Times  "    on    this 

book,  454. 
Prophets,    the    primeval,    398, 

400-410,  421,  424,  489;   the 

Hebrew,  488,  491,  499. 
Psalms   quoted,   27,    102,    114, 

117,  138,  145,  158,  245,  258, 

275,  278,  281,  284,  302,  306, 

340,  344,  346,  352. 
Ptolemy,   132,  391,  432,  464, 

466. 
Pyramid,  the  great,  5,  58,  ^ZZ, 

484  seq. 
Pythagoras,  482. 

R. 

Rakis,  the  bound,  the  caught, 
299. 

Ram,  or  Lamb,  535  ;  see  Aries ; 
feasts  of  the,  240,  241. 

Ras  al  Gethi,  head  of  Him 
who  bruises,  130. 

Ras  al  Thalitha,  head  of  the 
height,  235. 

Rastaban,  head  of  the  subtle, 
160. 

Rationalism,  459,  460. 

Raven,  354  ;  see  Corvus. 

Redemption,  90  seq. ;  price  of, 
98  seq.,  104. 

Reem,  the,  259,  262 ;  see  Taurus. 

Resurrection,  172,  182,  184, 
187,  234,  295,  313,  315,  371. 

Revelation,  26,  69,  72,  460; 
the  primitive,  27,  489;  perver- 
sions of,  70,  490;  proven  by 
the  myths  of  the  constellations, 
26,  69. 

Riccioli,  59. 

Richer,  23. 

Rigel,  or  Regel,  Regulus,  the 
foot  that  crushes,  270,  346. 

Roberts,  23. 

Rod,  Jacob's,  in  Orion,  270. 

ROLLESTON,  Miss,  7,  26,  324. 
ROSENMULLER,  496. 

Rosh  Satan,  head  of  the  evil 
one,  254. 


Royer,  celestial  chart  of,  465, 
467,  470. 

Ruchbah,  the  seated,  the  en- 
throned, 244. 

S. 

Sa'ad  al  Bula,  witness  of  the 
rising  or  drinking  in,  368. 

Sa'ad  al  Melik,  witness  or 
record  of  the  outpouring,  194. 

Sa'ad  al  Su'ud,  witness  of  the 
swimming  or  outpouring,  368. 

Sabaism,  71,  490. 

Sabbath,  the,  60;  final,  294. 

Sadr,  who  returns  as  in  a  cir- 
cle, 205. 

Sagitta,  the  killing  arrow,  48, 
176. 

Sagittarius,  the  Bowman,  42, 
140. 

St.  Sophia,  church  of,  70. 

Saints,  the,  309 ;  rapture  of,  371 ; 
in  heaven,  333. 

Sanctification  and  justification, 

95  seq- 

Satan,  29,  123,  347;  career  of, 
355  ;  end  of,  357. 

Saviour,  the,  88;  see  under  each 
constellation. 

Scales,  or  Balances,  91 ;  see  Li- 
bra. 

SCALIGER,  508. 

Scarab.eus,  the,  a  symbol  of  the 
history  and  experiences  of  the 
Church,  314. 

Scheat,  who  goes  and  returns, 
20. 

Science,  astronomical,  15,  32,  34, 
36,  38,  41,  58,  362,  388 ;  of  the 
early  patriarchs,  392  seq.,  482  ; 
modern  achievements  of,  420; 
recent  discoveries  of,  478;  at 
fault  in  explaining  the  constel- 
lations, 4,  385 ;  facts  of,  480 ; 
this  book  not  in  conflict  with 
true,  481  seq. 

Scorpio,  the  Scorpion,  the  great 
conflict,  42,  114,  495. 


INDEX. 


521 


Serak,    conquering,    victorious, 

306. 
Sera,  victory  by  great  conflict, 

467. 
Sephina,     multitudinous    good, 

322. 
Serpent,  the,  29,  47,  121,  122, 

348 ;  career  of,  354  seq. 
Serpentarius,  127. 
Seth,  374,  394,  4§3>  489. 
Seyffarth,   Dr.,   59,   63,   391, 

472,  478. 
Shakespeare,  78. 
Shedar,  the  freed,  243. 
Shes-en-fent,  rejoicing  over  the 

serpent,  332. 
Sign,  what,  20. 
Signs,    heavenly  bodies   created 

for,  21,  499;  of  the  Zodiac,  42, 

43;  of  the  other  constellations, 

47-51;  order  of,  162,  261,  413 

seq. 
Simak  AL  Azel,  Branch  of  the 

power  of  God,  366. 
Sin,  94,  95  ,  forgiveness  of,  94 

seq. 
SlRiUS,  the  Prince,  the  Guardian, 

the    Victorious,    17,   50,   299; 

companion  of,  305. 
Smith  and  Sayce,  24,  131,  407, 

501. 
Soheil,  what  was  desired,  332. 

SOUTHEY,  45. 

Speculation,  the  charge  of,  111. 

Spica,  the  seed  of  wheat,  74, 
164. 

"  Standard,"  The  Chicago,  on 
this  book,  457. 

Star-Bible,  505. 

Star-chart,  38,  n. 

Star-groups,  33 ;  see  Constella- 
tions ;  figures  of,  36;  the  orig- 
inal forty-eight,  39,  64. 

Star  of  Bethlehem,  424  seq. ; 
the  following  of,  440. 

Stars,  distances  of,  17;  as  signs, 
20 ;  how  made  to  speak,  32 ; 
record  of,  410,  449. 

44* 


Stoddart's  Review  011  this 
book,  353. 

Stones,  precious,  made  to  ex- 
press redemption,  383. 

Subilon,  the  ear  of  wheat,  75. 

Sugia,  the  deceiver,  299. 

Sun,  the,  15,  17;  notation  of, 
among  the  planets,  61,  481 ;  a 
picture  of,  302. 

Superstition,  generally  has 
started  from  some  truth,  22. 

Swan,  the,  203 ;  see  Cygnus. 

T. 

Tarared,  wounded,  torn,  180. 

Taurus,  the  Bull,  the  Head,  Cap- 
tain, mighty  Chieftain  who 
cometh,  43,  259,  263,  495; 
myths  concerning,  264. 

Tav,  or  Tau,  the  Cross,  symbol 
of  life,  92,  100,  102. 

Testament,  the  New,  witnesses 
to  the  Gospel  in  the  stars,  25, 
424  seq.,  503. 

Thales,  55. 

Theories  of  the  constellations, 
3,  115,409,457. 

Thuban,  the  subtle,  159. 

Toliman,  the  heretofore  and  the 
hereafter.  82. 

Triumph,  the  price  of,  136. 

Tureis,  the  firm  possession  in 
hand,  332. 

Typhon,  or  Python,  1 1 9, 1 98, 2 1 5. 

U. 

Ugubinus,  397. 

Ulugh  Beigh,  7,  82,  84,  106, 
467. 

Umbreit,  496. 

Under-world,  the,  151. 

Unicorn,  or  Reem,  259;  de- 
scribed by  Caesar,  260;  Job  on, 
260 ;  Moses  on,  260 ;  Isaiah  on, 
266. 

Union,  the  mystical,  168. 

Universe,  vastness  of,  17 ;  centre 
of,  18,  495. 


522 


INDEX. 


Ursa  Major,  the  Great  Bear, 
properly  the  greater  sheepfold, 

5°,  327- 
Ursa  Minor,  the  Lesser   Bear, 

or  sheepfold,  50,  322. 
"  Utica  Herald"  on  this  book, 

457- 

V. 

Vega,  he  shall  be  exalted,  the  war- 
rior triumphant,  victory,  149. 

Vendidad,  the,  on  the  first  man, 
393. 

Ventura,  470. 

Victim,  the,  104. 

Victory,  the  final,  336. 

Virgil,  89,  300. 

Virgin,  seed  of  the,  72,  74. 

Virgo,  the  Virgin,  42,  71  seq.,  85. 

Vishnu,  143. 

Volney,  5,  67,  68,  412. 

W. 

Wassat,  set,  seated,  put  in  place, 
291. 

Water,  the  beauty  of,  189;  sym- 
bolizes saving  grace,  195. 

Waterman,  the,  192;  see  Aqua- 
rius. 

Waters,  the  living,  189  seq. 

Week,  days  of,  whence  named, 
61. 


Weemes,  John,  475. 

Wesen,  shining,  illustrious,  scar 

let,  302. 
Wisdom,  the  secrets  of,  361. 
Woman,  the,  her  creation,  198; 

represents    the    Church,    198; 

seed  of,  3,  66,  120. 
Wordsworth,  164. 
Writing,  origin  of,  473. 

Y. 

Yao,  reign  of,  in  China,  364. 
Yima,  393. 


Zechariah  quoted,  200,  224, 
303- 

Zodiac,  the,  41 ;  signs  of,  42 ;  in 
the  Chaldean  tablets,  406  seq. ; 
age  of,  58-63,  364-366,  387- 
404,  479,  482,  483 ;  Persian, 
332;  of  Dendera,  7,  ioi,  151, 
224,  282,  289,  300,  328,  332, 
351  ;    of  Esne,    7,    71  ;    lunar, 

44,  57,  364,  366- 

Zoroaster,  406,  445. 

Zosma,  the  shining  forth,  346. 

Zuben  Akrabi,  the  price  of  con- 
flict, 93. 

Zuben  al  Shemali,  the  price 
which  covers,  93 


THE   END. 


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